With You
by Weissangel24
Summary: The blonde gasped, panic finally taking over as his empathic sense just washed over the empty shell...
1. Prologue

­­­­­­­­­­­­

**With You**

By Weissangel24

10/14/07

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or its characters. I just have a deranged obsession of making them miserable. I'm not making any money off of this, though that would be nice if I did… Suing me would only be a futile gesture and for your troubles you would receive ABC gum, pocket lint and a broken set of colored pencils.

Warning: This fic is rated R for violence, language, definite Shounen ai and probable Yaoi

Don't like, then don't read. Flames will be used to heat my dinner.

Comments and Criticism are welcomed, just be nice about it.

I am the self nominated Queen of Sap.

Timeline: Two years after Endless Waltz

**Thank you, SkyLark & Kai Li, for the beta job!**

**::huggles::**

**W.A.24**

.xX0Xx.

Prologue

.xX0Xx.

/All units please respond./ The dispatch beckoned. /Level 7 fire at 16 and Sampson. Heavy casualties, Rescue en route./

"Come on, Quat!" Duo urged, grabbing his med kit. "Let's go!"

"Have we heard from the others?" The blonde asked, sliding into the passenger seat while his braided partner took the wheel. "Their sting operation was in that part of town."

"Haven't heard anything." The Preventer shook his head as he reached out his window to attach his emergency lights to the roof. "What's quicker? Haver or Nelson?"

"Haver. Nelson's one way. We'd have to back track."

"Right." Duo nodded, turning his siren to full blast as he tore out of the driveway.

Quatre closed his eyes, extending his sixth sense to locate the other pilots.

Duo was a powerful presence beside the smaller teen. His braided friend was tense with worry over his lover, Hiiro. Besides the tension, he was bubbling with fury. Who the anger would be directed at, the empath couldn't tell; but Quatre knew Shinigami would be making an appearance.

Blocking the storm that was Duo, Quatre moved farther, searching for the familiar hearts of the others. It wasn't an easy task. He had to sift through the hundreds of thousands of emotions that he usually shielded against.

"Easy, Quat." Duo warned, shifting his eyes from the road to the newtype. The blonde was drenched in sweat, his face frowning in concentration. "We'll find them."

The empath was just about to give up when he felt horror. Quatre gasped, his hands clenching at his seat. "Wu Fei…" He whispered. "I found Fei…" He kept searching until he was bombarded with painful guilt. "Hiiro's alive…" His voice trembled. The emotions that the two pilots were experiencing were unusual from their calm and controlled personas. It worried the blonde as something terrible had to have happened to force those two to react that strongly.

Quatre inhaled sharply, his eyes squeezing shut as he extended his sense to its limitations. "Where's Trowa?" His tone held an edge of barely restrained panic.

Duo shifted his glance between the traffic and his partner, "Quat?" He questioned worriedly.

The smaller teen was breathing erratically as his knuckles turned white from the death grip he had on the car's seat. He couldn't find him anywhere. Not a feeling, sensation, subconscious echo- Nothing. It was as if Trowa were de-

The braided driver swerved as the empath's sudden vomiting startled him. "QUATRE!"

"No-oh no-no-no-no…" Quatre moaned, burying his face in his trembling hands.

"Hang in there, Q. We're almost there." The teen tried to comfort, "Just another blo- SHIT!"

The blonde braced himself as Duo slammed on the breaks, causing the car to skid to a stop. Before them raged a fiery inferno that consumed at least three buildings. The road up ahead was blocked off by police cars, fire rescue, ambulances and Preventer issued vehicles. Beyond the cars, the two boys could see their commanding officer shouting orders and their fellow Preventers moving to follow those orders. The scene was in absolute chaos.

"Trowa…" Quatre shook his head, fumbling for the car door release, while Duo climbed out his own side. "TROWA!" The blonde cried out, finally escaping the vehicle and stumbling to where his partner stood frozen, searching for his lover.

"HIIRO!" The braided boy exclaimed, spotting the Japanese teen as he was being loaded into an ambulance. Forgetting the empath, Duo ran towards the other boy, pushing the EMTs out of the way, "Hiiro?" He whispered. "Answer me, please? Look at me!? Hiiro!?!"

"He'll be okay. Mostly minor injuries, but several that need X-rays to determine the level of damage." One of the medics assured the distraught teenager, "We had to sedate him in order to move him. Stubborn idiot refused to go with us until his partner with the long braid arrived. I'm guessing that's you. I can explain the rest on the way if you want to ride with us, but we've got to move out. There're volatile chemicals in those buildings that could explode any minute."

Slightly reassured by the woman's explanation, Duo nodded and proceeded to climb into the ambulance after his boyfriend had been loaded.

"TROWA!?!" Quatre called again, struggling with the panic in his heart. Where was he? Why couldn't he feel him? Where was he!?

Solemn movement caught the blonde's attention. Chang was standing besides two medics and Lady Une. The Chinese teen held himself stiffly, trying to control the subtle shaking in his shoulders. Drawn, the empath took a small step towards them, before pausing under Une's piercing gaze. The woman murmured something to the raven-haired teen, who then spun sharply to face the smaller boy. There were tear tracks running down his cheeks. The expression in Wu Fei's eyes was something that Quatre had never witnessed in his friend before. Anguish… grief… horror… and a surge of protectiveness.

The newtype's voice trembled as he whispered his plea, "Trowa? I can't find him- I can't feel him! Where is he!? Please! I know he was here! Where is he!? Fei… Please…"

"Quatre…" Wu Fei shook his head, reaching out to the smaller Preventer as he approached him.

The boy took a step back, his hand stealing up to his chest, gripping his shirt over his heart. "Wu Fei, where is he?" His words were so quiet that they were lost in the chaos around them.

Still, the Chinese pilot knew what was being asked. He didn't want to answer. The information was stuck in his throat, making his heart heavy. The terrified, haunted look in the blonde's azure eyes tore at his soul. Quatre already knew the answer, but what he was pleading- begging­- for was, for what he knew to be true, to be denied.

Under Une's orders, the medics lifted the stretcher that they were preparing. On it laid a sheet-covered shape, concealed from head to toe. Despite their careful handling, though, the stretcher jostled, shifting the form into revealing a charred arm with torn remnants of a dark green sleeve. The glint of a dirtied melted silver ring flashed in the angry-orange fiery light, catching Quatre's attention.

Unconsciously, the blonde fingered the matching ring on his own hand, still clasped tightly at his chest. Shaking his head, Quatre screamed, trying to go to his lover, only to be stopped by Wu Fei's strong arms. "Let me go!" The blonde gasped, panic finally taking over as his empathic sense just washed over the empty shell, "LET ME GO! TROWA- I HAVE TO SEE TROWA! WHERE IS HE! GOD DAMN IT- WU FEI, LET ME GO! LEMME GO-LEMME GO! LET GO-LET GO- **LET GO! TROOWAA!!!**"

"Hush, Quatre…" The Chinese teen tried to calm, pinning the fighting teen's arms to his side and holding him tightly to his chest, effectively burying the boy's face in the nook of his shoulder and blocking the grisly view. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… It'll be okay- I promise, It'll be okay…"

"Trowa…please… Trowa… Let me see him… Please, Fei- Please!" Quatre's hyperventilating sobs begged.

Wu Fei held him closer, gently rocking the smaller boy in his arms, "No, Quatre." He denied. His voice gentle and soothing, "You do not want to remember Barton like this… I will not let _**that**_ be your last memory of him. Trust me, Quat… It's better this way. Stay here… Stay with me."

With a pained scream of anguish, the empath's knees buckled as he latched on to his friend, oblivious to all around him. "**TRO-WAAAAA!**"

"It'll be alright…" Wu Fei promised as a medic crept up besides the traumatized teens and injected a syringe into the blonde's arm.

"Tranquilizer." The man explained, rubbing the hysterical boy's shoulder. "By Lady Une's order. He should relax in a minute as he falls unconscious. She then wants us to take him to the hospital."

Wu Fei nodded his understanding, continuing to rock his grief-stricken friend. "I'm here. You're not alone… I'm with you."


	2. Chapter 01

.xX0Xx.

Two Years Later

.xX0Xx.

The room was dark, save for the single lamp that rested on the huge mahogany desk. That limited light illuminated towers of books and the blonde man that studied them intently.

Quatre had grown into an empty young man. His matured features were haunted with the shadows of sleepless nights and grief that no person should bear. His eyes were hollow gems, lacking any of the sparkling joy that radiated life and love when his husband was still alive.

"I've brought you some tea." Wu Fei announced, balancing a tray effortlessly as he opened the door, bathing the room in light. "It's much too dark in here." The oriental chastised, switching on the overhead lights. "What are you reading?"

The Arabian didn't answer, but rather glared at the man who hadn't left his side since that fateful day- The man who had stopped his many attempts to join his lover in the afterlife- The man whom he had not said a word to in over two years.

The ebony-haired man sighed, setting down the tray and pouring a cup for his silent friend. "Duo said he would stop by after work. He and Hiiro are bringing Thai for dinner. I told them to order your favorite. They also were going to grab a movie. I bet it's something with a lot of explosions in it. Yui insists it's because Maxwell misses the destruction and chaos the Gundams caused."

Wu Fei paused in his single-sided conversation and glanced at the other man. Quatre was pointedly looking away from him, his jaw clenched as his white-knuckled fists rested on the desk.

The Chinese sighed, turning his gaze to the hot beverage he was preparing. "You aren't going to drink this, are you?" He more stated than asked, his tone sounding defeated. "Well, I'll leave it for you just in case you want it. Don't forget that Sally's supposed to stop by within the hour for your appointment. Please don't give her a reason to commit you. It gets harder and harder to convince her to leave you in my care when you pull crazy-suicidal stunts. If you keep it up, you'll end up in a cold hug and a padded room." He gave the same warning every day, but it always seemed to fall on deaf ears… or maybe Quatre really did want to be locked away in a straight-jacket. Wu Fei didn't know.

He sighed again, "I'm with you." He whispered, as he always did whenever he parted ways from his blonde charge, before closing the door behind him. It was a promise that he reminded Quatre of daily, a promise that the empath wasn't alone.

Quatre stared at the tea tray for a few minutes before disregarding it, and turning back to his reading, absentmindedly rubbing at his chest. He could feel the Chinese man's grief as well as his own; a sense of failing, a burden of responsibility, and the reservoir of unrequited love that the blonde refused to acknowledge. Trowa had been his one and only, his soul mate. He couldn't open his heart to anyone else- He wouldn't.

But that was the problem, wasn't it?

The empath sighed, rereading a particular passage. It was very ancient, and very specific.

_Ye who bears the world's hearts_

_Bind until death with ye other half._

_For ye cannot live half-empty._

If that were true, then why hadn't he died when Trowa had? Hell, he hadn't even felt it when his lover died- Just the disturbing after effects of searching a soulless husk.

So what did that mean?

The blonde fingered the silver ring he still wore as he brooded on these disturbing thoughts as he reread the passage again.

If he were to take it at face value, the ancient script indicated that Trowa wasn't his rightful other half… But that was insane!

Wasn't it?

The empath felt his grief well up in his chest, as it often did, making it very difficult to breathe. Blinking rapidly, he tried to hold the tears at bay. Allah, he wanted to die.

"Quatre?" Wu Fei's head poked through the doorway again, heartbroken worry laying heavily in his tone.

Glaring, the blonde brushed away his stubborn tears that slipped past his control and turned away from the other pilot.

The Chinese man sighed, "Sally's arrived. She's waiting for you downstairs."

The thinner man carefully stacked all of his research before following his raven-haired guardian out of the library.

"Good morning, Quatre." Sally chirped brightly as they entered the den. "How are you today?"

The empath didn't give any indication that he had heard her as he sat in the stiff-backed chair in front of the window. Selecting a point off in the horizon, Quatre focused on it and tuned out everything else in the room.

Sally sighed, her enthusiasm waning. "Any changes?" She asked Wu Fei as she took up her medical bag and proceeded to give her patient his examination.

"No." The Chinese young man answered quietly, wrapping his arms around himself as he leaned against a bookshelf.

"You look horrible." The doctor stated. "When was the last time you got a full nights sleep?"

"I'm fine." Wu Fei dismissed, sending his friend a glare that clearly said, 'don't push it.'

Sally snorted, "This isn't healthy, Chang. If you're not careful, you'll make yourself sick and end up in the hospital… Who will take care of Winner then?"

"Don't go there." Obsidian eyes narrowed dangerously, "My answer is still the same."

"Would it really be so bad? He'd be well taken care of and you would be free to live your life!"

"I. SAID. NO!" Wu Fei snarled, his posture shifting in his anger. "DON'T bring this up again! It is NOT an option!"

"Wu Fei, this goes way beyond the duty of a keeping a promise. This is seriously starting to wear on you and I don't like having to watch what you're putting yourself through! When was the last time you had an evening out with the guys? When was the last time you went on a date? When was the last time you went to the dojo?"

"I'm fine."

"Let me commit him."

"THIS IS QUATRE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" He shouted, anguish lacing every word. "I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON HIM!"

"Even after he's given up on himself?"

"YOU Don't Understand!" Wu Fei shook his head. "He's not always this passive! He's still in there! I've seen him!" The Oriental seemed so much older than his twenty years. "When he thinks I'm not around… I've seen the pain! I've seen the misery… I've seen the loss and confusion… Sally, I've seen him…" He drifted off as he stared at the lifeless boy that sat staring out the window. There were tears streaming down his cheeks as he swallowed, "I won't give up on him…" he repeated hoarsely. "I can't."

Sally sighed, rubbing her eyes. Her friend was so unbelievably stubborn. "Well at least take a break. I have no appointments for the rest of the day. Go for a drive, visit the bookstore, or take a walk on the beach- just get out of the house for several hours." She nodded towards the blonde in the corner, "I'll watch him."

"Give your word that he will be here when I return." Wu Fei demanded carefully. "You will not take liberties with him. Despite your personal feelings on the matter, I am his legal guardian and nothing can be done with out my consent."

"Relax, Wu Fei." Sally shook her head. "I would not risk your wrath. I doubt he'll move from that spot."

"Your word, Onna."

"I give you my word, Chang." The doctor assured, raising her right hand in solemn vow. "He'll be alright." She pressed at the young man's reluctance. "Go."

"O-Okay." He agreed, crossing the room to kneel before his charge, "Quatre?" He called, rubbing the boy's thin hand. "Quatre?" He sighed when he received no reply. "I don't know how much you've heard, but I'm… I'm going to go run some errands. Sally is going to be watching you, so please behave. Don't give her a reason to commit you…" He swallowed again. "I'm with you…" He whispered before getting to his feet and hurrying out of the room. He grabbed his wallet and keys from the main foyer and quickly made his way to his waiting motorcycle before he could change his mind.

Once she was convinced the Chinese man wasn't going to back out, Sally turned her attention to the seemingly catatonic empath. "All right, Mr. Winner. It's time to make some drastic changes. I will not allow you to slowly kill that boy!"


	3. Chapter 02

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 02

.xX0Xx.

The blonde's blank azure gaze turned into a glare of ice. Rebelliousness surged through him as the two orderlies entered the room to approach him. If they thought he was meekly going with them like a good little doll, they had another thing coming.

He solely blamed the Asian for his husband's death and he'd never forgive him for not saving Trowa. Nor would he allow the other pilot to forgive himself. Quatre wanted nothing more than to leave this place forever and be far away from Chang as he could. He did not like it here despite the perverted part of him which enjoyed the tormented penance his guardian went through everyday while taking care of him.

However, he had to continue his research! He had to find the answer he needed and only Chang's personal library contained some of the resources he required. If that Bitch got her way, then he'd never figure out why he survived when Trowa didn't, and that would not do!

Suddenly, the desire for Wu Fei's presence welled up within him until it was nearly tangible. If the warrior was here, he'd never stand for this. Winner was certain that Chang would fight to keep him safe.

Quatre waited, not moving as he stared out the window, until the orderlies were close enough to touch him. As soon as they took a hold of his arms, he lashed out with surprising speed that no one had seen from him since the wars. In a matter of seconds, both men were lying unconscious at his feet.

The blonde turned his glare towards the woman who he had once considered a friend. What was he going to do with her? Now that he had reacted, she'd be on her guard…

Sally gapped at him, completely baffled. She had assumed that he was too far gone to put up any sort of resistance; that the orderlies would easily be able to remove him from the property. Quatre had never moved, never spoken, never even looked at her since his husband's funeral! So Where the Hell Did THIS Come From?

The woman fumbled around in her bag searching for the familiar bottle of a sedative and a syringe, without taking her eyes off of her patient.

The former Gundam pilot squatted beside his victims, his hands searching their pockets. Quatre almost smirked when he located a long cylindrical object and pulled it out. Uncapping the needle, he tapped it to jostle any air bubbles before squirting a little bit out.

"Quatre put that down before someone get's hurt." Sally warned. "You have no idea what drug that is."

That cold glare locked onto her once more. With expert precision, the blonde flung the needle at her. Sally shrieked as it embedded itself in her thigh, injecting her with its contents before she could pull it out.

Using her sudden pain and reaction to the drug as a diversion, Quatre sprinted for the door and down the hall. There was only one place that he could think of that they may not look for him…

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei sighed as he thumbed through a book. He wasn't enjoying himself like Sally wanted. All he could think about was that Quatre needed him. The notion just would not leave him alone. It pulled at his heart.

Growling in frustration, he tossed the book aside and pulled out his cell phone; he dialed the house.

It rang.

And rang.

And rang.

And rang.

Why wasn't Sally picking up?

The uneasy feeling was growing, even as he climbed back onto his bike and started back home.

.xX0Xx.

The doctor was trying her hardest to fight off the effects of the heavy sedative that Quatre had injected her with. Her vision was growing fuzzier with each passing moment and her movements became those of a drunkard. Sluggish and clumsy, she staggered down the hall.

"Y-you… little… sh-shit!" She screamed, furious that her plan to help Wu Fei had failed miserably. If only the other Asian could be reminded what a Quatre-Free life was like… he'd jump at the chance to be rid of the kid. He deserved so much more!

.xX0Xx.

Quatre bit his bottom lip nervously as he scanned the dark room. He had never set foot in here before; in fact, he had avoided it like the L2 plague.

Now that he was here… His blue eyes softened as he took in the setting. The bed was neatly made; a rich scarlet coverlet offset a mountain of golden pillows. There were two dressers; each had a shrine built upon it. Taking a closer look, Quatre noted that one was to a Chinese girl- Meilin, he assumed- and the other was to Trowa. Tears filled the empath's eyes as he reached out and traced his husband's face. The Asian's ancestral sword hung above the girl's shrine, while his practice swords were displayed on a rack at the end of the bed. Books lined shelves over a desk against the far wall, Wu Fei's computer and printer set up on it. Pictures lined the walls; depicting happier times of all five pilots.

It was homey.

Sally's scream echoed from down the hall, jarring the blonde from his observations. Snapping the lock on the door, he backed away debating where he could hide. There was an adjacent bathroom as well as a walk in closet; however, once he went into one of them, he would be trapped… that left the balcony.

Picking up one of Wu Fei's practice swords, Quatre pushed aside the deep red curtain that hid the glass balcony doors. Unlocking it, he slid it open and slipped outside. With meticulous care, he replaced the curtain and shut the door.

He bit his lip again, surveying his options. He could easily be seen, should Sally choose to check outside. There was a tree at the end of the roof that he might be able to climb down, if he could reach it.

Slinging the weapon across his back, Quatre jumped, grabbing the roof's overhang and pulled himself up. Very carefully, he shifted along the shingles, trying not to make any noise that would alert his pursuer of his location. Spotting a nearby chimney, he scuttled over to it, using the structure to hide not only his body but his shadow too.

There he waited.

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei's unease grew into near panic when he saw the sanatorium's van parked in front of his residency. "What did you do now, Quatre?" he groaned, parking his bike and running into the house.

"Quatre? Sally?" He called, throwing open the den's doors; his coal eyes scanned the room, frowning at the sight of the unconscious orderlies. "Damn it, Quatre… What did you do!?" He swore, turning on his heal and searching every room downstairs before movie to the second floor. "QUATRE? SALLY!?" He called.

.xX0Xx.

The woman groaned deliriously as she tried to crawl along the hall. It took her several minutes to realize she wasn't alone, "D-damn y-you… W-Winner…" Sally snarled, feebly trying to hit the young man that had knelt by her side.

Chang easily held both of the doctor's thin wrists, as he propped her up against the wall. "What happened?" he demanded, checking her eyes for clarity. "Where's Quatre?" He growled dangerously when the woman's head lolled to the side. She was heavily sedated. "SALLY!" Wu Fei shouted, slapping her- not so gently, "WHERE'S QUATRE! What Did You Do!?"

The woman blinked up at the furious Chinese, not fully comprehending his words. Sally opened her mouth to speak, but the drug had taken its toll on her; nothing that came out was more than garbled mumblings and a bit of drool.

Leaving the pitiful doctor on the floor, Chang proceeded to search every room systematically, skipping over his own. Quatre wouldn't hide there.

When he had finished, his search fruitless, he called the other pilots. Explaining what Sally had suggested and what he had come home to, he expressed deep concern for the missing blonde. "I know he's here." Wu Fei finished his briefing, "I can feel he's near; but I've searched everywhere."

/"The basement? Attic? Music Room? Library?"/ Hiiro rattled off different locations around the house. Wu Fei replied a sullen, "Yes" to each of them.

/"Have you checked your room?"/ Duo wondered.

"… No… Quatre avoids it at all costs. I don't think he's even been down that hallway since we moved in…"

/"Think about it, Q's a strategist… Sally's hunting him down and he needs to hide. Where's the last place anyone would think of looking?"/

"My room…"

"Look there. We'll arrive in ten minutes."

"Thank you."

"He's our friend too." Hiiro reminded.

.xX0Xx.

_**It was too much.**_

_**Hiiro and Wu Fei's guilt was suffocating.**_

_**Duo's relief that it wasn't his lover and the shame that resulted from that relief was a nauseating see-saw as he clung to his partner.**_

_**Friends, coworkers, family…**_

_**Everyone's emotions bombarded his senses; the one person whom he could rely on to ground him in reality… lay in a closed casket.**_

_**The corpse had been burnt beyond recognition.**_

_**Something inside the empath shattered as he lost control of his sanity and he started screaming.**_

_**He screamed and screamed and screamed; not caring in the least if he was disturbing the other mourners. **_

_**Arms wrapped around him, trying to sooth him as they pulled him away from the funeral. "I'm with you… you're not alone… I'm with you…"**_

_**He fought. Kicking, swinging and thrashing as he continued to scream.**_

_**More arms wrestling him to the ground.**_

_**A voice called his name. "Quatre! Quatre! QUATRE!"**_

_**Then blissful darkness…**_

_**Peace and quiet…**_

_**Locked in his mind, alone in his soul…**_

_**Drifting…**_

_**Searching…**_

_**Trowa, Trowa, Trowa...**_

_**Where are you, my love?**_

_**Trowa, Trowa, Trowa…**_

_**How could you leave me behind?**_

_**Trowa, Trowa-**_

.xX0Xx.

"TROWA!" The scream echoed in the air, leaving the blonde shivering in the aftereffects of his dream as he gasped for breath.

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei sighed as he set the table for dinner.

After they discovered that the Asian's room was locked from the inside, Chang called a halt to the search. Hiiro went to pick up the Thai and Duo was setting up the vid-player.

"He'll be okay." The braided teen encouraged, watching the Chinese pilot placing chopsticks across each plate. "Cat will come out when he's ready."

Chang nodded absently.

"Fei, what's bugging you?"

Coal eyes lifted and met violet. He swallowed before replying. "I-I'm wondering if maybe… maybe Sally is right… Maybe Quat should be…"

"You're not giving up on him!" Duo looked horrified, "Fei! You're all he has in this world! You can't give up!"

"He doesn't want to be with me." Wu Fei shook his head, leaning against the back of the chair. "I-I'm afraid I'm doing more harm than good… I know he blames me for Barton's death… I blame myself… I would give anything to have traded places with Trowa."

"If we give up on him, then Quatre will die!" The braided teen persisted. "You know they'd lock him up in the loony bin! He'd have no control over his Space Heart! He'd really go crazy- ZERO- kinda- crazy before he destroyed himself! Fei we can't let that happen!"

"Maybe that would be more merciful than this pitiful existence we have condemned him to live?"

"You don't believe that." Hiiro interrupted, setting the bags of takeout on the counter.

"It's been two years; I don't want to keep hurting him."

"Please, Fei… You've said it yourself, he's in there! We just got to give him more time!"

"It's been a difficult day… If you'd like, Duo and I can stay the night and keep an eye out for Quatre. Why don't you try and rest?"

"I wouldn't be able to sleep until I knew he was safe."

"A shower? Some meditation? Something you find relaxing?" Duo suggested.

Chang sighed, studying his friends. "Sally tried to get rid of me this morning so that she could use the time to kidnap Cat."

"Fei, we're trying to convince you to let Q stay here. Why would we pull something so underhanded?"

"You wouldn't, I know… I just…" He drifted off in the middle of his thought. The teen's expression became full of sorrow; his eyes filled with tears as he fell to his knees and wept.

"Wu Fei!?" Duo exclaimed, startled by the sudden change in demeanor. "What's the matter!?"

"Chang, report." Hiiro ordered, resting a hand on the shaking shoulder.

The broken warrior shook his head, mindless of the tears streaming down his face, "Q-Quatre… He's on the roof… I can feel him… Nataku, I just want to help him! Why can't I help him?"

.xX0Xx.

Afternoon had shifted into evening; evening had blanketed itself in the darkness of night. Quatre lay on his back, the sword beside him within arms reach, staring at the stars; the occasional tear slipping down his face.

He missed space. He missed Trowa. He missed feeling alive.

"Allah, why can't I just die?" he whimpered, the pain in his heart tearing through him.

"Q?" A gentle voice called from the edge of the roof.

Cold azure eyes met the vibrant violet with indifference. They had finally found him. Sally would be sure to put the blame on him, and Wu Fei would have no choice but to send him away.

A bitter sort of relief flooded him, even though another tear caressed his chilled cheek.

"You're gonna get sick if ya stay out here without a coat." Duo smiled, as he pulled himself onto the roof and made his way over to the prone blonde. "You've been up here all day?"

Quatre swallowed and reluctantly nodded. He hated Chang, and he wasn't happy with Yui… but Duo had been with him when Trowa died; it wasn't his fault. He ignored Chang, put up with Yui and still, occasionally, interacted with Duo.

"Why?"

The empath averted his glance. "S-Sally deceived him." He whispered, his voice hoarse from disuse. "She was going to take me away… I defended myself and hid."

"Bitch." Duo growled, Shinigami peeking through. "We locked her, and the two orderlies, in one of the guest rooms. We're looking into having kidnapping charges brought up against her. She had no right to interfere like that!"

Quatre shrugged indifferently, "Doesn't matter. They'd never believe me; Crazy Quatre turned violent and needs to be locked up."

"Fei's been worried about you." The braided teen mentioned, stretching out beside his depressed friend. "Damn-near tore the place apart lookin' for ya before 'Ro and I showed up."

The blonde rolled onto his side, away from the talkative boy.

"You know he loves you, right?" Duo asked. "Would it be so bad?"

"He's not Trowa."

"You're not Meilin." The American studied the other teen for a moment, mentally debating in his head before speaking, "Did… did you know he can feel you?"

Quatre's head whipped around to stare at the other pilot. No, he had not known that.

"Fei can tell what you're feeling… even get a general location… but just you, so he's not an empath…" Duo sighed, running a hand through his bangs, "Like… he could tell you were near, and that you weren't hurt… so he decided to let you have some space and wait for you to come out of hiding yourself… but then… you felt pain… and you wished you could die… Fei started to cry; he knew exactly where you were…"

The blonde's emotions flashed too quickly to be identified. 'That doesn't make any sense! Only my other half can feel what I feel! TROWA was my other half! THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!'

"I came up, because if you saw him… you'd only get mad." Duo looked heartbroken. "Cat… have you ever seen Fei cry?"

The smaller teen turned away again. He had felt the oriental's sorrow on several occasions, but he had never witnessed him break down… nor did he want to. Quatre didn't want anything that made Chang Wu Fei seem more human… because then he might loose his anger… he might learn to forgive him…

THAT could not happen.

"What do you want from me, Duo?" He finally asked, stubbornly refusing to look at his friend.

"I want you to give him a chance." Duo requested enthusiastic. "Just because you open yourself to someone else, doesn't mean that Trowa will be forgotten… Please, he's so lonely… and you're so miserable… Can't… Can't you at least talk to him? Treat him like the friend he was? The friend he still is?"

Quatre didn't answer him.

After several minutes in silence, the braided teen sat up and stretched, "We should get inside. It's cold out here, and you still need to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"I know; you're never hungry." Duo sighed, taking the blonde's pale wrist in his hand and pulling him to his feet. He then stooped down and picked up the sword. "But you still need to eat. Come on, 'Ro made sure to order your favorite Thai dish."

Reluctantly, Quatre followed his friend to the end of the roof and onto Wu Fei's balcony. With shoulders slumped in defeat, the blonde entered the room, where the other pilots waited. His eyes strayed towards his husband's shrine, longing and grief dancing in his irises.

"Quatre!" Chang breathed in relief upon seeing his charge unharmed in front of him, "I've been worried about you!" Wu Fei desperately wanted to reach out and hug the lithe boy, but he knew it wouldn't be appreciated.

"Are you injured, Quatre?" Wu Fei inquired, scanning the thin boy for wounds.

"He's fine, Fei." The braided boy reassured, handing the raven-haired teen his sword. "A bit cold. Sally's a bitch; I'm contemplating killing her."

"You can't harm her." Hiiro admonished as he studied the pale teenager, before bowing out. "I'll start some water for tea and reheat the leftovers. You look half-frozen, Winner."

The empath sighed, as he dropped his gaze to the floor. Despite what Duo had told him on the roof, he could not bring himself to break his self-imposed silence. He could not allow himself to humanize his guardian. The blonde's jaw tensed with stubbornness.

"Cat," The braided prodded, his voice soft and soothing. "It's time to let go… Please?"

Wu Fei's eyes widened with barely restrained hope.

The teen's mouth opened and closed several times, though no sounds emerged.

_**Trowa, Trowa, Trowa…**_

_**Forgive me…**_

.xX0Xx.

To Be Continued…


	4. Chapter 03

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 03

.xX0Xx.

Tense moments dragged on in awkward silence before the blonde clamped his jaw tightly shut, and glared at the floor.

The braided teen sighed, realizing that he had lost this battle of wills, "I'm going to make sure Cat eats something and then bring him to his room. Fei, you really should get some rest; you look terrible."

The momentary hope dimmed from the coal eyes; Chang nodded, "I… maybe… Maybe I'll go for a walk… or something…" He swallowed, "I… I'm relieved that you're safe, Quatre."

The blonde spared the other pilot a quick glance before darting out of the room. Duo swore as he followed.

.xX0Xx.

" 'Ro, did Cat come thr- What is that?" The braided teen asked, pinching his nose against the putrid smell that hit him as he entered the kitchen.

"You don't recognize Oz prison slop?" Zero-one raised a teasing eyebrow.

"You're not feeding that to Cat!" Amethyst orbs narrowed dangerously, scanning the room for the elusive blonde. "Where did that boy go?"

Hiiro snorted, "Of course not. His dinner is in the microwave, his tea on the counter. He'll come in when he's ready… This, is for our _guests_." He shrugged as he plopped portions into three plastic Tupperware bowls. "I don't want Une getting pissy because we denied our prisoners their basic human rights." He placed a single, plain, piece of white bread on the side, tucked a plastic spoon into each mound and grabbed two water bottles in one hand while balancing two of the dishes.

"I suppose…" He frowned.

"Do you really want to listen to her bitch?" The braided teen shuddered. "I didn't think so. Grab the rest of it, will you? I don't know if they're still unconscious or not…"

"I hope not." Shinigami's grin promised mischief if the opportunity emerged.

"Just don't kill anyone."

Duo rolled his eyes as he stuck out his tongue at his partner, "Party pooper."

"Think of it this way," The perfect soldier mused, "Alive, we can make them suffer longer. Dead, it's over too quick."

"Okay, I yield." The braided teen made a flourished bow.

Hiiro snickered, pausing in front of the door. "Ready?" "

"Born ready, armed and dangerous." Duo smirked, before sobering up. He knocked on the door, the sound- sharp and harsh. "Stand back. We're coming in!" He announced, "We have dinner for you, but if you don't behave, you're not getting any!"

"DUO MAXWELL, LET US OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!" Sally's irate voice bellowed.

"The shrew is conscious."

"Let's get this over with."

"I'm warning you, Doc. Back off and don't cause trouble. 'Ro an' I are on edge and you DO NOT want to set us off."

The pilots exchanged a look while they waited for their former friend to make up her mind.

"Fine." The petulant voice agreed.

Shaking his head, Duo balanced his burden in one hand as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. Surveying the room, the pilots located their prisoners. The two orderlies were sitting side-by-side on the bed, their hands resting flat on their knees, their demeanor completely non-threatening.

Sally, on the other hand, was fuming. She paced back and forth in front of the computer desk. "You have some nerve!" She seethed, "How DARE you lock me in here!"

"HOW DARE YOU TRY AND KIDNAPP CAT!" The God of Death snapped back, slamming the doctor's meal on the desk. The slop sloshed over the rim.

Hiiro calmly, handed the orderlies their food. They looked startled by Duo's accusation. "Kidnap!?" the first on protested, "We weren't kidnapping anyone!"

"We had a signed order from the doctor stating that blonde kid was to be admitted." The other one tried to explain, fishing through his pockets for the paperwork. He handed it over as he insisted, "We were just doing our jobs!"

The Asian nodded as he scanned the document. Sally's scrawl made the order official. "I believe you." He shrugged, "But we'll still have to detain you until Preventers can investigate and a full report has been made." He exchanged a glance with his partner before speaking again. "Come with me, we'll set you up in more comfortable surroundings, providing you give us your complete cooperation."

After a quick glance toward the doctor and the infuriated Gundam pilot, the two older men agreed, picked up their dinners and followed the Japanese teen.

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei waited until Duo had left before he closed his bedroom door. Taking a deep breath, he turned off the main lights; going through routine, he blindly found his long-stemmed matches. Lighting one, he watched as each little wick caught a dancing flame. One by one, around the room, the light started illuminated the shadows, chasing them away.

"Nataku… Trowa…" He sighed, replacing his practice weapon back on its rack. He settled himself cross-legged on the floor; his back rigid from years of discipline. "I don't know what to do… I'm losing him." He lifted his hopeless gaze to the shrine's photos. "Please… Show me some way to help him?"

The silence lingered; the Asian slipped into a deep meditative state.

.xX0Xx.

"That blonde kid is dangerous." The first orderly, Sam, shook his head as he recounted the morning's events to the Perfect soldier.

"He went from catatonic to a crazy fighter before we could blink!" Sam's partner, Tony, continued. "It was amazing! I've never seen anyone move like that! Outside a Jet Li movie that is…"

"At what point did Winner move?" Hiiro asked from across the table. Having deemed them innocent, he had brought the pair to the kitchen, threw out the slop and had given them real food; which they greatly appreciated. Now, they were giving their versions of what had happened.

"It wasn't until Sam took a hold of his arm. Normally, a catatonic patient will move with prompts and no resistance. We weren't prepared to have our asses kicked like that!"

"Awe, shit." Sam groaned, running an overwhelmed hand through his messy cinnamon colored hair. "What are we gonna do? We could lose our jobs for this!"

"If I were you, I would file suit against Dr. Po." Zero-One smirked, "She sent you after a Gundam Pilot without proper notification… a Gundam Pilot that has a specific restraining order that prohibits any action be made without the approval of his legal guardian with severe ramifications."

The older men paled, "S-she sent us against a p-pilot!?"

"Awe, shit! We didn't know!"

"When the Preventers get here, make sure to tell them everything."

"We will!"

.xX0Xx.

"That boy needs to be in a hospital- One where he is under constant supervision!"

"Fei, Ro and I do just fine taking care of Cat." Duo snarled, "We won't abandon one of our own! YOU HAD NO RIGHT INTERFERING!"

"I HAD EVERY RIGHT! I AM HIS DOCTOR!"

Maxwell scoffed at her, his amethyst eyes burning with cold fury; Shinigami was lurking beneath the embers. "Not anymore, you're not. You're going to prison. You knew full well there was a restraining order prohibiting any action to be made without specific consent from Wu Fei."

"Chang is not in his right state of mind. He's too close to see this objectively, he has NO idea WHAT THAT BRAT IS DOING TO HIM!" She shouted hysterically.

"AND YOU DO!?" Duo snapped back.

"OF COURSE I DO! I CAN SEE IT EVERY VISIT!" Sally hissed, "That proud warrior is wearing himself out playing babysitter for a spoiled brat! It is killing him!"

Duo stared at her for a moment before shaking his head in disbelief, "You really don't get it, do you? Quatre isn't killing him, Sal. He's the only thing that keeps Fei alive."

"That's ridiculous." The doctor sneered. "How can that leech possibly be healthy for Chang?"

The former pilot swallowed as a pain, still fresh even after two years past, welled up in his heart. "Quatre may have been married to Trowa… but Tro wasn't the only one in love with Cat." He met her astonished gazed squarely.

Sally was quiet. Her thoughts concealed behind a steel mask and cold eyes.

"Wu Fei needs to take care of Quatre; he has to believe that he's getting better."

"But he's not, and all that energy is being wasted!"

"He IS getting better." Duo argued, "Every day there is more and more signs of Quatre's healing; as Cat heals so does Fei. Their hearts are one."

"Then why hasn't Winner shown to be more than a suicidal catatonic doll?"

"He blames you." Maxwell stated. "He treats everyone he holds accountable for Trowa's death that way, Une, Hiiro, You… Doc, Cat spends hours studying in the library. He sits in the garden. I, personally, had a ten minute conversation with him not an hour ago. He's getting better!"

"I still don't believe it!" Sally sneered. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that he ends up with in a snug hug and a cushy room."

"I swear I'll kill you before I'd let you near him." Shinigami vowed.

.xX0Xx.

TBC.


	5. Chapter 04

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 04

.xX0Xx.

"I FUCKING HATE HER!" Shinigami bellowed as he stormed down the hall to where his partner was setting their prisoners up in the guest rooms.

Hiiro came out of one of the rooms and looked at him expectantly.

"That Bitch has her head crammed so far up her own ass that she can't see anything!" Duo ranted, his arms flailing in every direction as he vented, "HOW can she NOT see that Cat's gettin' better!?"

"She has her head crammed so far up her own ass that she can't see anything?" Hiiro answered the rhetorical question, causing his boyfriend to pause and blink at him.

"Good point." Duo agreed, glomping the other teenager. "Do I haffta hand her over to Une? Don'cha think that a lil' Shinigami justice would suffice? I know the perfect place to hide the body."

"I thought we agreed; Shinigami equals short torture, Une equals long drawn out torture. You do want her to suffer?"

"Yeah, yeah." The braided boy pouted, "But ya know I hate lettin' other people handle my business."

"Did Quatre eat?" Hiiro asked, tactfully changing the subject, knowing full well that the blonde hadn't entered the kitchen during his interview with the two orderlies.

"I was gonna ask ya the same thin'."

"Do you honestly think he'd go into a room with strangers in it? Strangers that tried to abduct him?" The taller teen sighed, "Do you at least know where he is?"

"Ummm… I've been a little preoccupied?" The American flashed an innocent smile.

"Don't you think you should go find him?"

"Yeah, yeah." Duo repeated, letting go of his boy-toy, "Why am I the only one lookin' for him? You could search too, ya know!"

"Who says I don't look for Quatre when he's missing?" Hiiro raised an eyebrow. "You search upstairs and I'll take down… And stay way from Sally."

"Ya take all the fun outta life, ya know that, 'Ro?" The braided boy sulked.

Yui caught his partner's hand as he passed and spun him into his arms, capturing the talkative mouth in a sensuous kiss. "I have my own version of fun." He smirked at the gob-smacked expression on his lover's face. He kissed Duo's nose and headed down the hall.

.xX0Xx.

There was a quiet knock on his bedroom door, drawing him out of his meditative state. Taking a deep breath, his obsidian eyes fluttered open. With fluid grace, the Chinese teen stood and padded across the plush carpet to open the barrier.

He blinked in surprise when he saw that Quatre was his unexpected visitor.

The petite blonde swallowed, shifting uncomfortably, avoiding meeting his gaze.

"Cat?" He prompted, his hand twitching to reach out and touch the other teenager. "Is something the matter?"

The empath bit his lower lip, his eyes focusing inside his guardian's room.

"Did you want to come in?" Wu Fei asked, stepping back, opening the door wider. "I-I don't mind."

Quatre slipped past the other teen, ducking into the room. He stopped in front of the shrines; delicate fingers reached up to trace the face of his deceased husband. Sorrow filled his eyes as he looked at the raven-haired young man.

Chang swallowed against the tangible anguish radiating from the man he loved. Leaning against the open door, he didn't want his charge to feel trapped, he tried to explain, "Trowa was a dear friend; I had- have great respect for him. The shrine makes him seem closer than death would allow."

The blonde traced the image once more before dropping his hand to his side. His gaze landed on the girl's shrine.

"Meilin. It was an arranged marriage. We were barely thirteen and completely hated each other. We fought all the time..."

His monologue was interrupted by a harsh coughing fit. Quatre didn't react except for the minute widening of his eyes.

Wu Fei gasped for a minute before he could speak again, "J-Just a bad tickle in my throat. I'll get some water in a little bit." He didn't want to go into the bathroom and come out finding the blonde had vanished again. "Meilin and I were legally married for six months when she died. During that time, I learned not to hate her as much… I think we could have been friends, though lovers would be pushing it; she was a girl."

He may have imagined it, but he could have sworn he saw the blonde's lips twitch in a suppressed smile.

They stood in silence for a moment, before Chang wondered, "Were you able to eat? If you've been hiding since I left, you must be hungry."

The empath stared at him, his expression blank of emotion and guarded thoughts.

"FEI!?" Duo's loud, frantic, voice called, as he skidded to a stop in front of the open door. "Have ya seen Cat? He's disappeared again! DAMN IT! We need ta get a beeper for that kid, or somethin'! We call him 'Cat', right? Maybe, we can get a GPS tracker installed on the back of his neck!?"

"Maxwell, pay attention to your speech patterns; you're not on L2." Wu Fei sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily; he really did feel like crap. "Did Quatre eat?"

"No, his dinner is still in the mic…" The American was fiddling with his braid; he had checked the kitchen before heading upstairs to continue with his search.

"Why didn't you eat?" Chang asked his silent guest.

Quatre glared at him, before shoving the Asian and the American out of his way and disappearing down the hall.

"He was here!?" Duo exclaimed in disbelief; he was too stunned to go after the elusive boy that he had spent the better part of an hour looking for. "D-Did he know you were here?"

"He knocked on the door." Wu Fei answered, a tender smile teasing his lips.

"Did he-"

"No. He didn't say anything… but he came." The smile remained, but the voice retained its ever-present sad tone. "Duo, don't make a big deal about this. Please, don't make a big deal out of this."

"Why!? This is big! THIS is HUGE! He sought you out, Fei!!!"

"I desperately want to hear his voice again, and if…" He broke off in another coughing fit.

"Fei?"

His friend waved off his concern, and continued, his voice rough, "If anyone brings attention to his unusual behavior… he'll recede back into his fortress and I'll never be able to hear his voice." He leaned against the door frame. There was a slightly flushed tinge to his copper skin tone and the fit had left him short of breath.

"Fei, you don't look so hot."

"Thanks." Chang rolled his eyes, "That's why you're dating Hiiro and not me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to my meditation."

"Sure, Fei… I can bring you some tea later."

"That would be appreciated." The Asian bowed before ducking into his room and closing the door.

.xX0Xx.

Quatre stood in the middle of the dark room, illuminated only by the moonlit windows. His eyes closed, bare feet on the dojo mat. He took a deep breath, centering himself.

His eyes snapped open, a storm swirling in the azure depths.

His hand lashed out, cutting through the air with a martial artist's precise skill honed by years of practice and experience. In a flurry of movements, the blonde attacked the air in a practiced set.

"You're slow on the round kick." A low voice observed, startling the teen into spinning and facing the door. Hiiro quirked an eyebrow at him, "Your balance is off because of it… I'm surprised to see you've kept up; you've been a lot more active than you've led us to believe."

Quatre glared at him, as he drew himself into a standing position. His fists were clenched at his side. He was drenched in sweat, though he wasn't winded at all.

"How long has it been since you sparred with an actual opponent?"

The silent teen looked down his nose at Zero-One as he toed off his shoes and shrugged out of his jacket.

"Come on, Zero-Four. Lets see if you still have what it takes." Hiiro challenged.

The blonde snorted and turned away; he had no intention of indulging in Yui's… whatever it was that the Japanese teen was hoping to accomplish.

Dark blue orbs narrowed as he watched the smaller teen move towards the edge of the mat. He gave no warning as he launched into an assault on his former teammate.

Long perfected skills fueled by pent-up fury kicked in as Quatre reacted. A blur of golden yellow clashed with his attacker. In a flurry of movements, the two fought: strikes, dodges, retaliations- most to fast to see.

The entire fight took less than thirty seconds to come to an end.

Hiiro ended up on his back staring into blazing azure orbs; the blonde's foot against his throat.

Quatre was trembling and breathing heavily; whether it was from rampant emotions or shear exertion, Hiiro wasn't sure.

"You've been angry and confused for a long time, Cat." Hiiro stated, not moving from his fallen position after his opponent had backed off. "Do you think Trowa would want you to hold onto your pain like this? Barely living?" He gauged the other boy's reaction; the subtle stiffening of his shoulders, the hitch in his breath. "He'd want you to be able to live life fully; you _know_ this to be true."

A range of emotions battled to escape the empath's control, and he was losing. Tears slipped down his alabaster cheeks as he fell to his knees; his whole body shaking under the force of his silent sobs.

ALLAH! He was so damn tired of it all! Why did everything have to hurt so much!?

Hiiro eased himself up until he was kneeling and shifted close enough to wrap the heartbroken teenager in a comforting embrace. "Moving on doesn't mean that Trowa will be forgotten." He soothed, rocking his friend. "It's okay; it's time."

.xX0Xx.

TBC


	6. Chapter 05

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 05

.xX0Xx.

When Quatre seemed to have cried his last, Hiiro helped him up and escorted him into the kitchen. Wearily, the blonde sank into one of the wooden chairs.

"Lady Une will be here in the morning." The Japanese teen informed him as he reheated the long cold dinner. He watched for any reaction, "You should be there."

Nothing. It seemed as if the other teen had shut himself off again.

The blonde stared at the table surface; he felt numb to his core. He was slipping. The anger that he had held onto for so long was starting to dissipate leaving him feeling tired and alone. He knew his former comrades were trying to reach him, but he didn't want to accept the help… yet… at the same time, he was desperate for them to save him from himself.

And Trowa…

Trowa's death still didn't make sense to him; he should have at least felt something- at most he should have died too.

Why? Why? Why?

The question constantly echoed in his head, but never was answered.

Hiiro set the plate and utensils in front of his friend, "You should have eaten this hours ago." He chided.

Quatre sighed and pushed the plate away; he rarely had an appetite and most often, the sight and smell of food made him nauseous.

"Eat, Cat." The former perfect soldier ordered, setting the plate back in front of the teen. "Do not make me force you."

Grudgingly, the empath picked up his chopsticks and began to pick at his food until Hiiro was satisfied that he had consumed enough. He then trudged up the stairs and barricaded himself in his room.

Quatre's ever present heartache was overwhelming and tears threatened to fall. It seemed as if all he did lately was cry, no matter how hard he fought it. He wasn't weak and he wasn't a crybaby… He just hurt so much and had little outlet for his rampaging emotions.

He had been sneaking down to the dojo nightly after he was certain that Chang was asleep, or otherwise occupied. The grueling workout helped a little in releasing his anger, but only just enough to prevent him from going mad. However, now that Yui had caught him at it, he wouldn't be able to continue his self-medicating therapy.

Why couldn't he just keep on hating them?

Because they care about you.

Was Duo right? Was Hiiro right? Was it time to let go? Could he let go… of Trowa? His husband?

Wu Fei let go of his wife… and at the same time, continues to honor her; could he do the same thing? Was he strong enough?

The whirlwind of constant questions was giving him a headache, making him more miserable.

He swallowed, a hard glare darkening his eyes, "No." Quatre rasped. "I will not submit. They let Trowa die."

.xX0Xx.

Duo was slouched on the edge of their bed when Hiiro entered the guest room. "What's wrong?"

"I'm worried about them, 'Ro." The braided boy admitted. "They're both hurting so much."

"Quatre may be starting to forgive." The Japanese teen encouraged, sitting behind his partner and massaging his tense shoulders. "Today showed tremendous improvement, but it's very unsettling for him; he doesn't know how to handle the conflicting emotions that he's experiencing."

Duo snorted, "When did you get so good at reading other people?"

"Since I've been with you," Hiiro teased. "I have to be able to be able to tell how you're feeling, verses what you show other people."

The American sighed, leaning back against his lover, enjoying the secure embrace. "Love you, 'Ro."

"Love you too." Hiiro replied, kissing the other teen's shoulder. "Let's get some sleep. Une will be here and she'll be pissed."

"Great, now I'll have nightmares." Duo rolled his eyes as he climbed onto the bed.

Hiiro smirked, catching his partner's slender wrist, and pulling him close, "I think I can help prevent those." He whispered, before catching the braided boy's lips in a savory sensual kiss.

Violet eyes sparkled as Duo tried to catch his breath, "I think you could." He agreed before kissing back with impassioned fervor.

Shirts slid off, hands roamed, moans and groans, whimpers and whispered promises, pants gone- underwear too, physical comfort, endless reassurances, utter sated completion.

.xX0Xx.

Alone in his room, Wu Fei flopped on his bed, feeling as if he didn't have the strength to move. It was unnerving to be this weak and exhausted. He rolled onto his side and curled into a tight ball as a coughing fit stole his breath.

He had never felt like this, horrible and vulnerable- not even when he was a child… In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he had been ill.

Panting, he shifted his eyes towards the shrines before drifting shut. Shivering cold, he reached down with trembling fingers and pulled the top blanket over himself, creating a warm cocoon.

The night was restless, and fevered dreams haunted him; it was a relief when his alarm clock went off. Slowly, he climbed out of bed, his whole body aching and made his way towards his adjoining bathroom to change before heading downstairs and outside.

The early mornings were serene. The quiet solitude of the garden allowed for the perfect workout space, weather permitting. When it did rain, the dojo, with its large ceiling-to-floor paned windows, allowed for an equally relaxing setting.

It was during this time, just before dawn breaks over the trees and the roof of the house, that Wu Fei chose to do his workout.

It was always a slow starting warm-up followed by a series of six to eight forms, each more difficult and taxing than the last, depending on how he felt. Usually, he was sweating by the fourth set and winded by the seventh.

Today, however, in the musky humidity that fogged the lower landscapes, Wu Fei found himself winded by the end of the first series with a burning sensation in his chest. At the completion, of the third set, he was gasping for breath and had to sit down on the wet grass in order to stave off a dizzy spell.

A harsh, barking, cough tore from his throat; a ragged torture that caused him to choke. Turning his head, he spat some phlegm at the tree line and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw the streak of crimson running along his wrist.

"Oh, shit."

.xX0Xx.

** "Come sit with me, Cat." Trowa beckoned, holding his hand out to his husband.**

**The blonde smiled and allowed himself to be pulled down into arms he knew so well. "I've missed you, Trowa." He whispered, trying to absorb as much of his husband's warmth and unique smell as he could.**

** "I wasn't even gone that long." The banged teenager chuckled. "It was only a week."**

** "Seven days too long!" Quatre protested. "I hate it when you go on missions without me… I'm always afraid you won't come home."**

** "You know I feel the same way; but I trust Duo to watch your back, and I trust the skills you possess."**

** "I trust Fei and I trust you… but I seriously don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."**

** "You'd grieve, you'd lean on your friends and you'd live your life." Trowa held the boy closer, resting his chin on the golden locks. "It wouldn't be easy; but you're strong enough to endure it… and hopefully, one day, you'd fall in love with someone who would make you happy again."**

** "You'd want me to love someone else?" Quatre frowned.**

** "I'd want you to be happy, and if that person can do that, then yes, I want you to be able to fall in love again…" His voice became solemn, and the empath could feel the shift in his mood, "Quatre, I want you to promise me that you'll keep living, no matter what."**

** "I promise… if you promise the same."**

** "I promise." Trowa agreed.**

**They sealed the pledge with a tender kiss and a long night of love making.**

Quatre's eyes blinked open; his heart thudding in his chest. Pale fingers traced his lips, remembering that night; it had been a week before the accident.

He swallowed, climbing out of bed and staggered into his in-suite bathroom to splash his face with cold water.

He had forgotten that conversation…

Why was he remembering it now?

Guilt welled up in his heart, making it difficult to breathe.

He had broken his promise-

The last promise he had made to his husband;

He had stopped living.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered, covering his face in shame. "I'm so sorry, Trowa! Forgive me, please!?"

A single tear fell.

.xX0Xx.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 06

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 06

.xX0Xx.

She was an intimidating woman on a good day; today was not a good day.

Lady Une was pissed that one of her most trusted agents was in such deep trouble. She was equally pissed that it was because of one of her other, very much valued, agents.

Hiiro sighed before allowing his supervisor into the foyer; Duo was subtly hiding behind him. Even though they had been Preventer agents for nearly three years, the braided teen had never gotten over his imprisonment on the moon base. Lady Une was probably the only thing/person that Shinigami feared.

"Agent Wing." She greeted, "Agent Death."

"Lady." Hiiro nodded, leading her into the library. Duo shifted uncomfortably as he followed behind the former OZ colonel. He never turned his back to her; she always pretended not to notice.

"I want a full report before I speak to the prisoners." She sat in the high back office chair with a rigid back and an expectant glare in her steel eyes. "Where is Agent Fire?"

"Finishing his morning katas. He'll be here in approximately fifteen minutes."

"Very well," Lady Une allowed.

The two agents filled her in as much as they knew, leaving out the part of Wu Fei being able to sense Quatre's whereabouts and subsequent breakdown. When they reported the conversations they held with the prisoners, Lady Une seemed surprised by the gall Sally had shown.

There was a knock on the door before freshly showered Chang entered, deathly pale and slightly frazzled. "Lady Une, I apologize for my tardiness."

"You're off duty." The woman dismissed. "Don't worry so much about protocol. Please provide me your report."

With a sigh, Fei explained the events, which had taken place. When he was finished, a series of severe coughs tore from his throat, nearly doubling him over with the force of them.

"Fei, you okay, man?" Duo wondered in concern, thumping on his friend's back.

"I'm fine, Maxwell." Chang gasped, rubbing at his chest as he discretely checked his mouth for blood. "Just a tickle."

"Zero-Five, that was more than a tickle." Hiiro frowned.

"I'm fine." The Chinese teen glared, pushing his braided friend away and daring them to press the matter. "Can we please get back to the topic at hand?"

"Quite right, I ask that you bring the orderlies to me first. I'd like to hear what they have to say before it can be rebutted."

"Yes, Lady." Hiiro bowed slightly before he disappeared to do her bidding.

"Agent Fire, I want you to report to HQ's Medical department for a check-up as soon as this business has been resolved… That's an order."

"Yes ma'am." Wu Fei acquiesced grudgingly.

"Where is Agent Heart?" She asked, "I'll require his statement as well."

"Quatre is no longer an agent, ma'am." Chang corrected. "He will not acknowledge your orders."

"I still require him to be here."

"Quatre will not join us."

"I'm not giving him an option."

"Cat won't come, ma'am." Duo asserted from the safe position behind his friend. "An' he certainly will not speak to you; he won't even speak to us."

"Quatre hasn't spoken to anyone in nearly three years."

Lady Une's expression darkened with displeasure, "Fine, we'll get a written statement from him."

"That will be impossible." Wu Fei informed her. "Quatre will not willingly communicate in any way."

"How am I supposed to prosecute without a complainant?"

"Ma'am, I am Quatre's legal guardian until such a time as he has been cleared by a psychologist as being competent of making his own decisions." Wu Fei informed, "As such, I can make the complaint. There were strict instructions as well as a restraining order that prohibited any action be taken without my expressed consent, or in the case of an emergency, the consent of either Yui or Maxwell. Sally signed this binding contract before I allowed her to begin treating Quatre. As such, she knew the consequences of her actions and she, in complete disregard for the wellbeing of her patient, attempted to move him to an unknown facility without my knowledge after I strictly forbade her too."

Une thought that over before replying. "Very well, Agent Fire. The complaint will be submitted on behalf of Quatre R. Winner."

"The orderlies, Sam and Tony." Hiiro announced, standing aside for the older men to enter.

Lady Une listened to their accounts and examined the signed order before she declared them innocent. After informing them that they may be required to testify at trial, she permitted them to leave.

"Even though I will hear what Sally has to say, it seems very clear that the complaint is valid; all stories have been consistent." The Preventer's leader sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Which leaves me with the dilemma of what to do with her now."

"Milady, Sally has been our trusted friend and doctor for many years." Wu Fei stated quietly, "What she did, she did out of concern for me; I cannot fault her for that."

"That doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve the full extent of the consequences her actions dictate." Hiiro stated coldly; Duo agreed. "She went after Cat."

"I will take your input under consideration. Now bring Dr. Po in."

.xX0Xx.

Sally Po stood at attention, before her boss; she was furious that these ridiculous charges were being taken seriously. Her cold stare focused on the far wall, ignoring every person in the room, but specifically the three Gundam Pilots that were in formation behind Lady Une's chair. She could feel the woman's disappointment in her actions as her supervisor explained the nature of the formal complaint, what it meant and what the consequences were going to be, as if she was some simpleton who couldn't understand the bullshit.

When asked, if there was anything she'd like to say before the questioning began, Sally replied snidely, "As a physician, I am required to do what is in the best interests of my patients. Further treatment is required and cannot be administered in this environment. In addition to the patient's well-being, I have also become concerned for the health of the patient's caretaker. Change is needed immediately, whether it is agreed with or not."

Une rubbed her eyes before putting on her glasses. Her entire demeanor changed from the passive Lady into the merciless Colonel.

Duo whimpered, as he startled away from the woman; terror flooded him. Hiiro swiftly, but subtly, caught his hand, holding him in formation. It would be much worse for them if the Colonel caught the slip; she was strict about military procedures and soldiers did not move until they were commanded to.

Sally's eyes widened and she stood ridged. If Une's Colonel Personality was allowed to emerge, then she was in more trouble then she previously thought. The Colonel only came out when the Lady couldn't bring herself to take appropriate action.

The Preventer's supervisor steepled her fingers together and her steel gaze narrowed, "I have here, in front of me, the original copy of the contract you signed before Zero-Five allowed you to treat his ward; were you aware of the restrictions stated in the contract you signed?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Were you aware of the stated consequences for unapproved actions?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

The Commander growled her displeasure, "Did you have permission to remove Zero-Four from these premises?"

"No, Ma'am, I did not."

"Did you sign a waiver for Winner's removal and engage two orderlies to aid you without alerting them of the previously mentioned contract?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Sally Po." The sharp voice addressed. "If it were up to me, you would be in front of a firing squad before you could even blink… However, it has been brought to my attention that is not an acceptable course of action during these _peaceful_ times."

The doctor gulped.

"Therefore, you shall remain in custody until such a time as you can stand before a _trial of your peers_." The heartless woman sneered with contempt, "Agent Wing, Agent Death, take her away."

The former Pilots moved to do as she commanded; Duo skirted around the crazy woman, keeping his back to the wall.

"Sally." Hiiro prompted, grasping the physician's elbow.

"You're all making a mistake." The doctor snarled, pulling her arm away from the former Gundam pilot, but complying in leaving the room with them.

"Agent Chang," Commander Une barked at the young agent, keeping him from following the others out of the library. "You will remain."

He swallowed, turning to face his supervisor's crueler personality, "Yes, ma'am?"

The woman removed her glasses, setting them on the desk in front of her with a sigh. "Have a seat; you look like you're going to fall over." She waited until the stubborn boy complied before she continued, "While I admire your devotion to your friend and colleague, I must question whether or not this is an acceptable arrangement. Sally may have been wrong in the way she acted; however, I do believe that her prognosis is quite accurate. You are worn down; you've become ill. That fiery spirit that makes you a formable foe has been doused and the embers are barely glowing." She studied him for a moment before proceeding. "Chang, as a Gundam Pilot, you have been vaccinated against every known viral, bacterial and bio sickness known to mankind; you have never been sick, and yet you have succumbed to, what I would guess is, pneumonia. As your friend, I worry about your well-being. As your boss… well, this cannot continue."

Wu Fei sat rigid in his chair, his hands clenching the armrests with white-knuckled strength. "I do not have pneumonia. I am not sick. It is just a persistent tickle in my throat!"

"Keep telling yourself that. Now, why isn't Quatre in a hospital or at the very least on L4 with his family?" Une asked gently, "Surely, at least one out of twenty-eight sisters would be willing to care for him?"

The teenager warily shook his head, refusing to meet the woman's eyes. "A hospital would not be able to adequately care for Cat. Only another Gundam Pilot can understand the level of PTS that each of us suffers from. In addition, they could never understand the fact that Quatre can feel other people or the way that it affects him. Finally, they wouldn't understand the soul-level bond that he had with his husband and that the loss of that connection is slowly killing him. They would not understand and it cannot be expected that they could."

"Chang, I must intervene for your own good. I'm having Quatre removed from your care and placed into a hospital."

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Wu Fei shouted, leaping to his feet.

"I'm sorry, but as your supervisor, yes, I can, for the sake of your best interest."

"Then I quit!" Chang snarled, slamming his fists on the mahogany desk. Papers fluttered away landing all over the place. "You are no longer my boss and no longer have any say in my business! Quatre will stay with me, and I swear if anyone tries to take him against my wishes, they will know the full extent of my wrath."

"Why are you being so stubborn about this!?" Lady Une demanded, frustration wearing her patience thin. One of her most brilliant agents was behaving rather foolishly.

"_I gave my word_." Wu Fei shook his head, "You may not understand, but _I __**gave**__ my word_! I promised Trowa that I would watch over Quatre and protect him and l-love him if he'd let me… I vowed not to let Cat die too." He sank back into his seat, "T-Trowa didn't die in the explosion… He died just after we escaped, before RESCUE arrived… He made me promise… and I gave my word… but honestly… I would have taken this role even if Trowa hadn't asked me too. I love Cat; I have for a very, very long time… Cat's sisters… they would only care for him long enough to gain control of the corporation and then they would've discarded him like last year's fashion. As I've explained before, the five of us were given power of attorney over each other as well as next of kin. Hiiro and Duo help in every way that they can- AND Quatre IS getting better! I can't give up on him; I won't give up on him! And I won't allow you to take him away from me!"

"I admire your loyalty, Wu Fei." Une sympathized, "But this isn't healthy for you. No matter how adamant you are about denying the fact, you are sick and should probably be in the hospital… What about the Maganacs? "

"I don't care about myself." Chang replied, trying to suppress another coughing fit and nearly choking on his words. Failing to stop the fit made it even more violent than it originally would have been; he doubled over until he was sure that his lung was not going to magically appear. Wiping his mouth, he tried to hide the ruby drops that had spattered.

"Obviously."

He glared at the woman, gasping for breath, "All I care about is helping him. I will not abandon him the way Rashid and the others did when they discovered things about him that they did not agree with." He shook his head, still struggling to breathe. "Don't you see? He needs me… and I need him."

The woman studied the determined expression on the young man's face. "Wu Fei, are you certain about your decision? What will you do for money? You can't possibly take care of Winner without the funds to pay your mortgage and other bills."

"Of course I'm certain- and you needn't worry about my financial status. I am one of eight survivors from L5's destruction. I am also the heir to the clan. As such, I have a great deal of wealth to my name; possibly more than the entire Winner Corporation. I have never needed to work; I only joined Preventers out of boredom. Have I given you any reason to doubt me?" he challenged.

Une sighed, "No, you haven't."

"Then don't question my choices." Wu Fei commanded. "I will send my formal resignation by the end of the week."

"Very well." She acquiesced. "Please consider, though, to remain available as a consultant or specialist. You and the others are a valued resource and I'd hate to lose your expertise- And for God's sake, see a doctor!"

"I will think about it." Chang allowed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check on Quatre."

.xX0Xx.

Duo was leaning against the opposite wall, arms and legs crossed, eyes staring at the ornate carpet.

"How much did you hear?" Wu Fei asked, startled that his friend was there.

"Enough." The braided teen shrugged before turning solemn. "Why does it seem that everyone is always against us? Why can't they just let us make our own decisions without interference?"

"Maybe it's because they still see us as fifteen year old boys and not the adults we've grown into… or maybe because when we did make our own uncontested choices, we became terrorists and the most dangerous men in our century?"

"Maybe." Duo took a deep breath. "I think it may be time for me to leave Preventers as well."

"If you leave, Hiiro will too. He won't tolerate anyone else to watch his back."

"We should have left after Tro died."

"We needed something familiar to cling to in order to get past our grief."

The braided teen raised a doubtful eyebrow, "Have we gotten past our grief?"

"We're surviving."

"But we're not living." Vulnerable violet eyes locked onto dulled ebony. "Not really."

They walked in silence until they reached Quatre's room. Chang knocked softly on the door before opening it, "Cat?"

The boy was sitting on the windowsill, staring outside, watching as Sally was escorted to a police cruiser by Hiiro and another agent. He seemed lost in thought and he didn't respond to the gentle calling of his name.

"Lady Une is leaving." Duo informed his silent friend. "We've quit the Preventers."

Wide azure eyes whirled around incredulously; there was something different about them… something more vulnerable and open then the pilots had seen in a very long time.

"It was long overdue." Wu Fei admitted, wondering what the blonde was thinking about; he could feel the mixture of emotions the other boy was admitting, but he couldn't discern what they were. "The library will be empty in half an hour, should you wish to return to your research. I don't know if I told you, but I've ordered another book for you. It should arrive tomorrow."

The teenager turned back to the window, effectively dismissing them; though it didn't seem as cold as before.

"I'll bring you some tea in a little bit." The raven-haired boy promised, "After Une and everyone else is gone."

"I'll stay with him." Duo offered, "I've had my fill of both Unes to give me a year's worth of nightmares." He shuddered dramatically.

Wu Fei smirked, squeezing the braided teen's shoulder. "Meet me in the dojo later?"

"Sure, man…" The braided teen frowned slightly. "But are you feeling up to sparring? You really don't look so hot."

"Again, that is the reason you're dating Yui and not me. I thought we had cleared that up yesterday?" Chang teased.

"Fei, I'm serious. Freaky Lady's right, we never get sick and you look terrible. You should see a doctor."

The Chinese teen scowled, "Maybe if we didn't just have our physician arrested, I might-_Might_- have considered it. However, since that is not the case, I'll just have to make due for now. Therefore, if we could just drop that topic of conversation, I'd be most appreciative. I was thinking of doing some moderate Yoga forms, since I did my usual workout before Une's arrival, but I loathe doing them alone… I need to get rid of some tension."

"Sure, pal." Duo nodded, a small smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. "I'll pop down after psycho bitch leaves."

"Thank you. If Hiiro would like to join us, he's more than welcome."

"Sounds good."

Wu Fei turned towards the silent blonde, "Quatre, you are more than welcome to join us as well… I'd like it very much if you did."

The empath visibly swallowed, before giving a subtle shrug.

Chang's heart soared.

.xX0Xx.


	8. Chapter 07

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 07

.xX0Xx.

"I don't need a babysitter." Quatre stated, not looking at the braided teenager; his voice was still raw from disuse, though his tone was lacking his usual hostility.

"I know, but right now, Fei doesn't trust anyone. First Sally, then Une, it seems everyone wants steal you from us and lock you away."

"You should just let them. It'd save you all a lot of trouble."

"You're not trouble, Cat." The blonde quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at his friend's reflection. "You're not!" Duo insisted, "You know I don't lie! We might get a little frustrated at times, but that's because we care about you so much!"

"I know you guys do." Quatre admitted, sighing and leaning his forehead against the paned glass. The braided boy studied his friend for a moment before finally asking if he was all right.

The empath was quiet for a moment before answering. "I remembered something last night that I had forgotten… and it's left me a lot to think about."

"Like what?" Duo wondered, approaching his friend.

Reluctantly, the boy lifted his eyes to meet his former partner's gaze. "How selfish I've been… How much I have hurt everyone… H-How-" His voice cracked with emotion, "H-How much trouble I've caused and how unfair it has been to everyone… to Fei…" He lowered his eyes, "Trowa would be so ashamed of me… I'm ashamed of myself."

For a moment, Duo just stared at the blonde in shock. "Cat…"

"I'm sorry, Duo. You and Hiiro were right… It has been a long time…" Quatre whispered, "I have a lot to make up for."

The braided teen wrapped his friend in a warm embrace, "You don't have to make up anything, Cat… Just become yourself again, and we'll call it even. Everyone has missed the real you."

"I'll try." The empath promised, accepting the hug for what it was- a welcome home.

.xX0Xx.

"Agent Wing," Lady Une addressed, meeting the former pilot at the top of the stairs, "If you have a moment."

"Certainly." Hiiro allowed.

"I'm very concerned about Wu Fei." The woman sighed. "He isn't well, and very stubborn… He needs to see a doctor."

"Sally has been our physician since the war; no other doctor understands our unique physiology or tolerance for drugs and pain." Hiiro explained. "It's not necessarily that he won't go to the doctor, it's that he can't… it could be life-threatening."

"What about one of the other Preventer medics? They'd be familiar with your history."

Zero-One shrugged, "That's up to him; I can't make him do something he doesn't want to do. You've given him an order, he won't disobey it."

"I'm no longer capable of giving Wu Fei orders." The Lady replied, regretfully. "He's resigned effective immediately."

"You tried to take Quatre." Hiiro concluded, knowing his friend well enough to realize only something drastic would make the duty-bound young man do something so rash.

"Yes."

The teenager glared at his supervisor, "After all we just went through with Po!? What were you thinking!?"

"About Wu Fei's wellbeing!"

"You should arrest yourself for attempted kidnapping; after all, that is exactly what Sally tried to do and now she's going to prison."

"You're not going to arrest me?"

Hiiro snorted, "I don't have the authority; I'm no longer a Preventer agent."

Une's eyes widened, "But… With you and Chang gone, Maxwell will leave too!"

"You should have considered that before making such a foolish move." He stated bluntly, reaching into his pocket and taking out his credentials and handing them to the stunned woman. "We'll clear out our desks tomorrow morning."

Lady Une's shoulders sagged in defeat, "Very well. I'll see to it that the paperwork is in order and your severance packages are put together. It will be marked in you files that you have an honorable discharge and if you ever decide you want to return, there will always be an opening for you. I requested this of Wu Fei, and I'm asking you now: please consider being available as a consultant. The skills of the pilots are too valuable a resource and Preventers will be lost without them."

"I will discuss it with Duo." Hiiro allowed, "But I won't promise anything. Now, I suggest you leave before I change my mind about letting you go."

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei leaned against the wall, staring out the big bay windows of the dojo; there was a soft smile on his pale face. He could feel a difference in Quatre; there was something calmer about him… It was refreshing.

His musings were disrupted by a sharp pain in the center of his chest that stole his breath from his lungs. Groaning, the raven-haired teen wrapped his arms around himself and slid to the floor. "T-ta de me…" he swore before his body started to convulse.

It was over in less than a minute, but it felt like an eternity; Chang was left gasping on his side. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to his knees and finally to his feet, relying heavily on the wall. After a few more minutes, he was able to fully stand on his own, though he was still feeling shaky.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

.xX0Xx.

"Duo?" Hiiro called, knocking on Quatre's door before opening it. "Une is gone."

The braided teenager flashed a huge grin from where he and the blonde were sitting on the window-seat. "Hey, Ro!" He jumped up and flung himself at his boyfriend. "Dunno if Fei tol' ya or not, but I quit Preventers!"

Hiiro laughed, opening his arms, welcoming the exuberant greeting. "So did I."

"Really!?" The American beamed, as the other teen swung him around. "I kinda thought you would. Feels great doesn't it?"

"Yes; though, I don't think that's the whole reason behind your mood."

"We should have a party!" Duo's grin grew brighter, "Check out Cat." He whispered. "I think he's feeling a whole lot better, Ro."

Zero-One looked up to discover the empath watching them contemplatively, a small smile on his lips. He gave his partner a squeeze before releasing him and going to the smaller teen; he held out his hand, "Quatre…"

The blonde's smile faltered uncertainly as he stared at the offered hand.

"It's okay, Cat." Duo encouraged, winking at the smaller teen. "It's just Hiiro."

Quatre blinked, his smile returning as he accepted his friend's gesture; Yui smiled warmly as he pulled the lithe body into his arms. The empath tensed sharply, but Hiiro continued to hold him, caressing the thin back in soothing circles. Gradually, the boy relaxed and started clinging back almost desperately, his thin frame trembling.

"It's alright, Quatre." Hiiro reassured, resting his cheek against the silky blonde hair. "Just take your time."

"Ro, Fei asked us to join him downstairs for some yoga." Duo mentioned after a few minutes of watching his lover comfort the struggling blonde. Hiiro nodded, reluctantly letting go of the smaller teenager. "Are ya comin', Cat?"

Quatre swallowed and shook his head; he felt overwhelmed as it was and trying to sort through all the different emotions he was experiencing was exhausting… Besides that, he wasn't positive he could interact with Wu Fei quite yet… especially in front of the others.

The braided teen grinned, "'S okay. We'll catch ya later!"

"Everything seems to be pretty much under control now, so I thought we'd head home after lunch." Hiiro stated, "You will be joining us for lunch, Quatre. One of us will come get you when it's ready." Hiiro persisted. "You're not to miss anymore meals; you're too skinny."

The blonde's cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment, as he turned away from the other teenagers to resume staring out the window.

.xX0Xx.

"Ro, you really think it's a good idea for us to head home?" Duo frowned uncertain as he walked down the corridor beside his partner. "I mean, Fei's really sick and such a stubborn ass!"

"We need to go home, even if it's for a couple of hours." Hiiro shrugged, "We didn't bring any clothes, we have to get all the files and spare uniforms to turn in tomorrow, and I need to prepare a virus that will transfer all the files from our work computers to a secure location before wiping the hard-drives clean."

The braided teenager snickered, "Une's gonna be so pissed; even more so than when you wiped Trowa's computer." Duo's demeanor immediately sobered at the thought of his deceased friend. "I miss him 'Ro."

"We all do." Hiiro empathized, taking his partner's hand and squeezing it.

They entered the dojo, slipped off their shoes and placed them in the shoe bin next to the door. Going into the closet, they found their gis and disappeared behind a pair of changing screens. Hiiro emerged, tightening his black belt around his waist, a few minutes before Duo appeared, wrapping his head and pinning it in place with bobby pins.

Together, they walked to the front of the room and bowed respectfully to the dojo's shrine, before turning and bowing to Wu Fei, the dojo's master.

Chang returned the bow. As he straightened, he looked at his friend, "Yui, would you mind calling out the forms today?"

"Certainly." Hiiro nodded, moving to replace Wu Fei at the head of the room, "How many would you like to do?"

"Between ten and fifteen." The other Asian replied, moving to stand next to Duo's Mat.

The Japanese teen agreed and lead them thru one form into the next. The hour long process was slow and methodical and ended with the three of them laying on their backs, eyes closed, hands flat on the mats, their breathing was slow and deep. They stayed in that position until Duo started to fidget and Hiiro took him out of the room.

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei waited until the other two had left before climbing warily to his feet and upstairs to his room. He locked his door and fell to his bed, utterly exhausted.

His intent was to lie down for a few minutes, but the next thing he knew, Hiiro was knocking on the door, announcing lunch was ready and that he and Duo were heading out.

Chang swallowed before opening the door. "Thanks for your help." He forced a smile; God, he felt like shit. "Where's Quatre?"

"I think he went to the library after he finished eating."

Wu Fei's eyes widened in surprise, "He actually ate? With you?"

"I didn't give him a choice, but he didn't resist like he usually does."

"Th-That's good."

Hiiro studied the other teen for a few minutes, but refrained from commenting; anything he had to say had been said and it wouldn't be appreciated if they were repeated. "Give a call if you need anything."

"I will." He smiled again, a little stronger than before.

.xX0Xx.

Quatre stared at the book in front of him, not really seeing the page. He had researched everything he could get his hands on concerning his empathic ability for over two years, and he still had nothing to show for it. He was beginning to wonder if it was worth pursuing.

He closed the cover and stood, stretching. Maxwell and Yui had popped their heads in several hours ago to say goodbye; he realized several hours had passed since Wu Fei had last checked in on him. Finding it odd, the empath extended his senses, seeking his absent caretaker.

Nothing.

Unease crept into his heart as he abandoned his book, and barreled out of the library; a sick sense of _de ja vu_ toyed with his psyche. He searched each room as he went until he came to the Chinese boy's bedroom

Swallowing, Quatre put his ear to the door, trying to detect some sound, some trace that the other boy was inside.

Nothing.

A strong panic began to take over him. Trying the door, he whimpered at finding it locked.

'You're overreacting, Winner.' He mentally debated with himself. 'He's probably out shopping…'

'He never leaves without telling you, and making sure there was someone to watch you in his absence… and why would he lock the door?'

'I invaded his privacy, he wants to keep me out…' He tried to reason, biting his lip uncertainly.

'Chang wants nothing more than for you to let him in.'

Fei…

His slender hand reached up and tentatively knocked on the door; the sound a bare rasp.

Fei?

'Call to him.'

'I can't.'

'He could be hurt.'

'I Can't!'

'He could be dying.'

'I CAN'T!'

'Can't? or Won't?'

Quatre leaned his forehead against the wooden barrier and whispered, "_Fei_?"

.xX0Xx.

To be continued.


	9. Chapter 08

A/N: I am so profusely sorry for the ungodly long wait.

I originally got stuck writing the next two chapters, and then life got in the way.

In addition to that, I wasn't receiving any of my reviews, which made me think no one was reading anymore.

Recently, I was going through, rereading some of my favorite stories and it got me back in the mood for writing.

You'll be pleased to know I have chapters 8-13 finished.

Thanks for waiting 3

~Weissangel24

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 08

.xX0Xx.

In less than five seconds, Quatre had the lock picked on Wu Fei's door and cracked it open. Peering inside, he scanned the room for his missing caretaker. "_Fei_?"

He gasped; the young Chinese man was laying in the middle of the floor, unconscious.

"_Fei!_" He exclaimed in his hushed, raw, tone, rushing to the other boy's side. With a trembling hand, he brushed ink black hair away from feverish skin. "_Oh shit… Fei? Wake up… Come on… wake up…_"

Wu Fei groaned, his eyes fluttering open for a brief moment, "C-Cat?" before succumbing to the darkness again.

Quatre bit his lower lip, before deciding what to do. Carefully, he pulled Chang's deadweight off the floor and onto the bed, gently securing the blankets around the shivering body. He then went into the adjoining bathroom for a damp cloth. Returning, he sat on the edge of the bed, and gently dabbed at the sweat-soaked skin, cooling it as he went; the heat rising from the boy was so great, it sapped the moisture from the cloth and Quatre had to rewet it several times. "_Wu Fei, what happened to you_?" he wondered, studying his friend's appearance. '_Why didn't I notice before_? _Have I been more selfish than I realized_?' Suddenly, his expression darkened as another thought struck him.

Draping the cloth across the burning forehead, Quatre stood and approached the vid-phone that was on the Asian's nightstand. Fuming, he dialed the number and waited for it to be answered.

/"Quatre!"/ Hiiro exclaimed in surprise, before taking in the blonde's expression. /"What's the matter?"/

Rage battled with the desire to hold his tongue; after several minutes of Zero-Four silently glaring at Zero-One's image, Hiiro called for Duo. "Talk to him." He ordered, handing the phone to his lover.

/"Cat!"/ The braided teen blinked at the unexpected call. /"What's up?"/

"How could you have left him?" The blonde hissed, "You had to have known he was sick!"

Understanding dawned on Duo's face, /"Oh…Uh…"/

"How could you just leave!?" Quatre demanded, "How could you leave him alone!?"

Hiiro appeared on the screen again, and took the handset from his partner. /"We didn't leave him alone; you're with him."/

"You're a fucking bastard, you know that!? Why wasn't I informed?" The empath demanded. "Someone should have told me that Wu Fei was ill- Especially since you left! What if I hadn't found him!? He could have d-d…" He couldn't finish his sentence.

/"Has he gotten worse?"/ Duo asked worriedly.

"I don't know what his condition was before, in order to compare it."

/"Is it too much for you to handle?"/ Hiiro inquired, studying the blonde's anger as well as the way he seemed to be struggling with himself. /"Or can you take care of him until he gets back on his feet?"/

"I can care for him." Quatre declared snidely, "He needs a doctor, though."

/"Yeah, we're looking into finding one."/ Duo admitted, /"Seeing as Sally is currently unavailable."/

Winner glared at them for a moment longer before hanging up on them. "Assholes."

He sighed, looking at his unconscious friend. "Don't worry, Fei. This time, I'll take care of you."

.xX0Xx.

"I do get a phone call." Sally sneered at her guard. "Or are you going to deny me my rights?"

"Who would you call?" Cullen, a newer recruit, inquired, "A lawyer won't do you much good, under the circumstances; these are court marshals your facing, not civie court."

"It doesn't matter." The physician countered, crossing her arms in effort to appear intimidating. "I still want my phone call."

"All right, all right, hold your horses…" The young agent got on his radio and contacted a seasoned agent in order to double check on protocol. After several moments on the line, Cullen returned with a cell phone in hand. "You have five minutes."

"Thank you." Sally rolled her eyes, snatching the mobile out of his hand. She stared at the guard as he stood there dumbly, "What are you waiting for? Shoo! This is a private conversation."

Once she was alone, she dialed a number that she had called on several recent occasions. "Tamara." She greeted, once the line had been answered, "Sally Po. How would you like to gain complete control of Winner Enterprises once and for all?"

The woman on the other end snorted, /"And what makes you think this attempt will be any different from the previous failures?"/

Sally smirked, "Because I know something you don't know."

.xX0Xx.

It was late into the night, and Quatre was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. Wu Fei's fever had lessened, though it had not broken; the young man had yet to wake up.

Yawning, the blonde took the dry cloth from his friend's forehead and padded into the bathroom to dampen it. Upon his return, he climbed onto the empty side of Chang's bed and replaced the cloth before lying on his side. "_I'm right here if you need me_." He whispered, "_I'm with you_…"

.xX0Xx.


	10. Chapter 09

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 09

.xX0Xx.

"Morning dawned after an excruciatingly long night. As the rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains, ebony eyes blinked open.

Chang Wu Fei felt as if he had fought one of his many solitary battles against OZ in a badly damaged, low supplied, Gundam: beaten, worn down and exhausted. For a moment, he couldn't remember what could have possibly made him feel so poorly; then the events of the previous day flooded his memory.

"Cat!" he gasped, concern and worry spurring him into a sitting position. The speed of movement made his head spin and he flopped backwards onto his pillows; his limited energy spent.

How long had he been out of commission? He could vaguely recall someone soothing him… Had Une successfully removed his love? Where were Zero-One and Two? Was Quatre alright?

He groaned, silently cursing his own weakness. "Cat…"

There was a quiet sound beside him, drawing his attention to the warmth that was curled up against his body. Turning his head, Wu Fei's eyes widened and filled with joyful tears; the empath lay next to him, fingers twisted in the fabric of his sleeve, sound asleep. "I'm dreaming…" He whispered, tentatively reaching out to brush aside the golden bangs. "He's here…?"

The blonde's face scrunched up as the teenager protested waking up; his slender fingers reflexively tightened around the material in their grasp. He could vaguely hear his name being called.

Reluctantly, Quatre's eyes fluttered open and met expressive onyx orbs.

"Cat?"

"_Fei_?" The blonde stared at him in disbelief for a long moment before launching himself at the other pilot. "_I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"_

.xX0Xx.

Duo sighed as he sorted through various files that littered his desk; he tossed a few into a box, while others went into the shredder. Across from him, Hiiro was rapidly typing on his computer as he implemented the virus that he had created the previous night.

"Do we want to save the Hanson file?"

The other pilot paused as he considered the question. "There's a high probability that he'll end up offending again when he gets out on probation and that evidence was extremely difficult to obtain; yeah, keep it."

The folder went into the box, and the braided teen moved onto scan the next case. "Did Fei ever mention anything specific he wanted to keep?"

"No."

Duo glanced at Quatre's desk. While Trowa's work station had been removed almost immediately after his death, Zero-Four's remained virtually untouched; a silent expectation that the empath would one day return to duty.

"Don't worry about Winner's desk." Hiiro murmured, as he resumed his typing. "We already sorted through his files and purged his system; all that is left is his personal effects."

The braided boy nodded, returning his attention back to the task at hand.

Hiiro watched his partner for a moment, "Duo, what's bothering you?"

Zero-Two sighed again, closing the file and putting it into the pile to be shredded. "I… I just don't know what we're going to do now…"

"We've got supplies, weapons, skills, and funds hidden away, as well as plenty of time to figure out our next course of action." He stood and went to his lover; wrapping him in a secure embrace, "No matter what, we'll be together."

"I love you."

"And I, you." He nuzzled his lover's neck, "Let's finish; I don't want to stay here longer than necessary."

Duo nodded his agreement as he tilted his head for a kiss.

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei's muddled brain was having a difficult time processing the situation. Quatre, who hadn't spoken to him in over two years, was latched onto him, sobbing into his chest and apologizing profusely- for what, he didn't know.

"C-Cat?" He tried to understand as he tried to calm the other teen's hysterics. "What?"

"_I've been so selfish…" _The blonde whispered, pulling away from his guardian and wiping his cheeks.

"No." Wu Fei disagreed, sitting up. "You've been in pain. You've been lost."

The empath shook his head as more tears slipped down his cheeks. "_Please, do not excuse my behavior! I have been selfish and nothing but a troublesome burden. I have hurt Hiiro and Duo… and you, repeatedly. I have broken my promise to Trowa and I have never been more ashamed of myself… Perhaps, one day, you might forgive me… but…"_

"Quatre," The Asian interrupted, gently grasping the pale boy's shoulders and encouraging the smaller pilot to meet his gaze. "There is nothing to forgive."

"_But, Fei…"_

"Nothing." He repeated. He brushed a strand away from azure eyes in amazement. "I have waited anxiously to hear your voice again; it's the most beautiful sound I have ever heard." He smiled at his ward's blush, "Now, what time is it?"

The blonde shook his head in disbelief as he glanced at the clock, "_Near lunchtime._"

"Then we should eat." Chang nodded, scooting towards the edge of the bed; the movement took great effort and left him panting.

Quatre stopped him before he could try to stand. "_Fei, you're still very sick; you need rest… Please… It's my turn to care for you._"

After a moment's hesitation, the proud warrior acquiesced. "Thank you."

.xX0Xx.

"Yui." The disinherited Sanc Prince addressed, not sparing a glance in the younger man's direction.

"Merquise."

"I see you've brought your pet."

Duo snorted, flipping him off. "Nice to see you too, Sexy-Zechsy."

"I'm very busy."

"Of course, but I wouldn't interrupt you unless it was of the greatest importance." Wing Zero's former pilot pointed out, leaning against the doorframe.

The older Preventer chuckled, "Of course not." He leaned back in his chair, finally giving his unexpected guests his attention. "So what is it?"

"We need a physician."

"Sally's office is three floors down."

"She isn't there."

"Then try again later!"

Maxwell shook his head, "Dude, she's not going to be there later; she can't."

"And why is that?"

"She's in prison." Duo announced flippantly.

"So, she'll return."

"No! She's IN prison."

"Sally Po has been arrested for attempted kidnapping." Hiiro explained. "I believe there may be a fraudulent charge added to that as well."

"You're joking."

"Duo may jest, but I do not." The stoic pilot reminded, "Sally is unavailable and will be for some time."

"Look, Zero-Five is real sick and we need someone who knows his training to look at him."

"I'm a field medic."

"You're the best option there is." Duo insisted, "Any other doctor wouldn't understand the level of conditioning we've been subjected to… It could be fatal."

Merquise considered that for a moment. "What are his symptoms?"

.xX0Xx.

"Merquise!?" Wu Fei blinked into the vid-phone before breaking off into a coughing fit; Quatre frowned and handed him a glass of water from their lunch tray, before rubbing Zero-Five's back.

"_How did you convince him to come?_" The blonde rasped.

/"Eh, ya know 'Ro."/ Duo smirked with pride, /"He can be very persuasive. Anyway, we should be there in an hour."/

"I don't think this is really necessary." Chang protested, "I think everyone is overreacting… it's just a bad cold…" He couldn't deny that he was sick anymore; it was obvious that in his current state that it was more than a persistent tickle in his throat- Though, with Quatre by his side, eager to help and _talking_ to him, he was more willing to acknowledge his weakened condition.

/"We never get sick, Fei."/ Maxwell pointed out, /"It's not something that can be brushed aside as no big deal."/

"_Besides_…" Quatre added, "_Your fever has not broken and is still very high; that's not normal._"

After another coughing spell, which left the pilot gasping for breath, Chang agreed.

/"Of course we're right!"/ Duo announced. /"Just rest and let Cat take care of ya. We'll be there soon."/

After closing the channel, Wu Fei collapsed against his pillows. "I hate this…" he complained. "Feeling so… weak."

The empath offered a shy smile, "_You should listen to Duo and rest; I can make you some tea… if you'd like_?"

"Tea sounds wonderful, thank you."

"_Sleep… my friend_." Quatre ordered before slipping out the room and heading towards the kitchen.

.xX0Xx.

The ten minute phone call had completely wiped out his stamina; Wu Fei was asleep before Quatre shut the door to his bedroom. He had no concept of time; he never heard the doorbell ring.

.xX0Xx.

To be continued…


	11. Chapter 10

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 10

.xX0Xx.

Quatre opened the door, expecting to see Zero-One and Two, to be greeted by his third eldest sister and four men he didn't recognize. His empathy flared with the malicious intent that radiated from them and sent chills down his spine. Every fiber in his body urged him to run, but he found his feet planted in place.

"I suppose the rumors are true." Tamara mused, sizing up her little brother as she and her company entered the hall. "You aren't catatonic anymore… No matter, it doesn't change anything. You're still considered incompetent."

The blonde managed a step backwards, his whole body went cold.

"It has come to my attention, that your current guardian is no longer capable of providing an adequate home for you. Therefore, a judge has issued an order to have you removed from here and placed in my custody. Of course, I'll be responsible of running Winner Enterprises and too busy to babysit you; your new residence will be at the Sanc Sanatorium. Now we can do this the easy way, or the painful way; but either way, you will be coming with us."

'_NO!'_ The panicked thought clenched his heart painfully. He took another step backwards. _'Fei!'_

"Don't make this more difficult than necessary." Tamara warned, seeing the bright azure eyes take on a calculating gleam. "It will only prolong the projected outcome."

Quatre's fright became anger and his eyes narrowed in a good approximation of Hiiro's death glare. "_Bitch_!" he hissed, taking another step back.

"Oh, you can even talk!" Tamara raised an eyebrow in surprise, "I wasn't informed of that. No one will ever know, though, you'll be so drugged that you won't even know where you are."

Zero-Four stood up to his full height and smirked, portraying a confidence he didn't feel; his voice was solid and strong. "You will not get away with this."

"Dear brother, I already have."

'_Hiiro and Duo should be here soon; I just need to stall them until they can get here_.' He glanced up at the stairs, '_Fei… I could really use your help!_'

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei felt a dark sense of dread and vulnerability that tainted his dreams turning them into nightmares. Moaning, he tossed and turned, twisting his sheets as he unconsciously reached for the empath.

.xX0Xx.

One of the orderlies approached the blonde with restraints. "We don't want to hurt you, young man; we're here to help."

"I don't need, nor want your services!" Quatre snapped, standing his ground. "How much is she paying you to kidnapping me!?"

"Enough."

"So you admit that what you're doing is unlawful."

"What!? No!"

"You've been paid to take someone against their will and hold them. Abducting by force- That is the definition of kidnapping."

"There's a court order."

"One that an official of the law did not deliver personally. Tell me, how much did she pay the judge?" The man became flustered and Quatre continued relentlessly. "Unless you want to spend the rest of your life in prison, I suggest you put away those restraints and walk out the door!" He met the other's gazes evenly, "That goes for the rest of you. Leave now and I won't press charges."

"Bravo, little brother." His sister applauded mockingly. "It's a shame you will never see the inside of a boardroom. That vicious cunning and perception would greatly benefit Winner Enterprises."

"You assume that I want to run WE." The empath stated icily, taking another step backwards, trying to put some space between himself and his enemies. '_Fei… I know you're not well… but I'm outnumbered here_!'

"It doesn't matter if you want to run Father's company." Tamara cooed, "The fact is that it must be run through you."

"I've been sick for two years." Quatre pointed out, "and before that, I was with Preventers. I have never controlled Winner Enterprises; I don't understand why you're coming after me now!"

"I swear, if you take one more step, you will regret it." The elder Winner hissed venomously, halting her brother's movement. "Do you honestly believe I would allow you the opportunity to runaway?"

"If you want the company, then just take it! I'll sign whatever forms you want- I just want to be left alone." Quatre tried to reason, "I'm not a danger to myself or others."

"Tell that to Sally Po."

"S-Sally?" The color drained from the teen's complexion. "What does she have to do with any of this?"

Tamara smirked, "Everything."

Quatre didn't know what hit him as his muscles contracted uncontrollably in agonizing pain; he collapsed, unconscious.

The elder Winner lowered the taser, as the 1200 volts of electricity died. "Take care of him quickly." She ordered. "He has a high tolerance for pain and quick recovery rate that could prove to be troublesome if we aren't careful."

The men nodded, picking up their new patient and strapping him to a gurney that was brought in from outside. Once they were situated in the waiting ambulance, one of them inserted an IV and administered a sedative drip. "That should keep him out for a couple of hours at least."

"Good." Tamara nodded in approval. "Make sure he's locked up and all the files are under the fake name I provided you. Keep him drugged at all times and he won't be any problem for you. Expect your Checks to be mailed to you within 48 hours. You are all going to be very wealthy men." She smiled sweetly, "Congratulations, boys."

.xX0Xx.

Upstairs, locked in a nightmare, Wu Fei screamed.

.xX0Xx.


	12. Chapter 11

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 11

.xX0Xx.

Twin sleek motorcycles skidded to a halt in front of the brownstone; a sports car came to a stop behind them.

Taking off his helmet, Duo frowned at the front door. "'Ro… Something's wrong…"

Zero-One nodded his head after removing his own headgear. He slipped his gun from its holster and removed the safety; his partner did the same.

Zechs watched them for a moment before getting out of his car. "What's the matter?" He asked, automatically reaching for his weapon.

Silently, the two Gundam Pilots moved in tangent, approaching the entrance to the house from the side; they would alternately peek into windows as they went. Without verbal communication, one then the other slipped into the building, weapons ready- fingers on triggers. They then split up and did a room by room search until they met in front of their friend's bedroom.

With a nod, Duo turned the knob and pushed open the door enough for Hiiro to burst in and sweep the room for intruders. Finding none, he lowered his gun and shouted an all clear.

Looking at their unconscious sick friend, Duo frowned, "Where's Cat?"

Hiiro shook his head. "I didn't see him… The roof?"

"He wouldn't leave Fei vulnerable like that- especially knowing that he's out of commission right now!"

Zechs leaned against the doorway, "That was entertaining; now would you like to explain what sparked this bout of paranoia?"

Yui raised an eyebrow at his rival, as he replaced the safety and put the handgun away. "Don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"Quatre…" The braided teen set the safety, but didn't holster his weapon, as he approached Wu Fei's bed- Zero-Five had not stirred at all during their entrance and conversation. "Ro, Fei's bad…" He whispered, feeling the heat radiating off of his friend's skin without touching him. "We just talked to him… He wasn't this bad on the phone!"

"That worries me all the more." The Perfect Soldier scowled. "Stay here and help him; I'm going to check the security cameras."

"Watch your back, Ro."

.xX0Xx.

"Whatcha think?" Duo pressed as he hovered around Zechs as he checked out his friend's condition.

"I couldn't say for sure… Need tests… Chest X-ray…" The older blonde shook his head. "If I had to guess, I'd say it was a form of pneumonia… but that doesn't account for the blood…" Zechs frowned, "The only disease that I'm aware of which could cause that is an extinct virus called Tuberculosis."

"TB?"

"You've heard of it?" Merquis looked surprised, "Extinct Diseases are something only Med Students really hear about now-a-days."

The braided young man agreed, "Unless you're on a mission to destroy a black-market lab where psycho-scientists try to recreate extinct illnesses in hopes of mutating them into devastating weapons of mass destruction."

Zechs quirked an eyebrow, "There was a mission like that? Who was assigned it?"

"Two years ago… It… It was the mission that Tro-" The braided young man swallowed, "It was the mission that Zero-Three…"

"The five of you were assigned to that mission." Zechs mused.

"Fei and Trowa were to infiltrate… the rest of us were back-up…" Duo shook his head, trying to banish the haunting memory, "That was two years ago, if Fei was going to get sick from exposure to that, then he would have shown symptoms before now! And the rest of us, Cat, 'Ro an' me plus anybody else who was a first responder on that scene would have been exposed to any contamination- We would've been sick before now too."

"If Barton and Chang were the only ones who infiltrated, then they may have been exposed to something the rest of you weren't… It could be the training and conditioning that the five of you went through to be Gundam Pilots allowed his immune system to fight off the disease until Chang's body was too exhausted and succumbed… Also, you said that they were mutating the strains, so who knows what that entailed…"

Violet eyes stared at the still body of his friend; the barely moving chest. "I-Is… Is Fei gonna…"

"Zero-Five really should be moved to a hospital."

Zechs glanced towards the other pilot when he didn't receive a response; his jaw dropped at what he saw. The braided boy's gaze was fixated on his friend, but it was as if he was seeing something else; his breathing was close to hyperventilating and he was whiter than freshly fallen snow. The Gundam Pilot was trembling in fear. Shinigami was afraid.

"Maxwell?" Merquise prompted, slowly reaching out to the younger man.

"DON'T!" Hiiro's sharp voice ordered from the doorway, staying the outstretched hand before contact was made. "He'll gut you before he realizes it is you!"

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's Flashing." Zero-One answered, stepping around the frozen teen in a wide birth until he was in line of sight. "Hey, Kid…" He murmured as if he was talking to a small child, "You okay, Kid?"

Haunted violet orbs lifted to meet concerned cobalt blue. "Ro?" Duo whispered, sounding confused as if seeing the other Preventer didn't match what else he saw. "I cudn't save them! Maggie, Gino, Guppy, Solo… I gots da medz, but I wuz too late… I'm always too late. Now, I'm alone again…"

"Kid, look at me…" he waited until Duo complied before continuing in the soothing tone, "You're not alone. Do you remember Cat?"

"Cat?" Duo frowned, "Cat's not part of da gang."

"That's right. Who is Cat?"

The braided teen blinked as he slowly began to put pieces together inside his head, "Cat's Zero-Four! Hiiro!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms around the other pilot. "How long was I gone?" He whispered against his lover's neck.

"Not long." Hiiro assured, rubbing his partner's back in soothing circles.

"You mind explaining what the hell just happened?" Merquise glared.

Duo shivered and clung to the other pilot tighter, as he surveyed the room, "Ro, where's Cat?"

"I was just coming to tell you." Hiiro frowned, holding his partner at arm's length and producing a printout of an image from the security cameras to show his partner. "It looks like one of his sisters came for an unexpected visit… with a team of orderlies. I'm not sure which facility they're from; the outside cameras showed an unmarked van."

"They locked Cat up!?" Duo whispered, his eyes widening with horror, taking the photo with his shaking hands. The amethyst orbs narrowed with lethal promise. "We have to find him!"

"We will." He assured before addressing his former rival, "Merquise, can we entrust Chang into your care?"

The blonde prince raised an eyebrow, "I'll take care of him."

"That means not leaving his side- even to take a piss." Duo's tone threatened severe consequences should his instructions be ignored. "Fei is vulnerable and we're down one pilot and another is MIA. We can't afford to lose anymore!" He shuddered, his eyes squeezing shut as he tried to block something from his memory; Hiiro simply held him tighter, grounding him until it passed. "Thanks, 'Ro… Where do we start?"

"With Quatre's sister. If we can ID her, then we'll have a direction to follow."

"I'll call an ambulance and have Chang moved to the Preventer's Hospital."

"We are no longer Preventer Agents." Hiiro informed him, "He's not authorized for that facility."

Zechs smirked, "I'll strong-arm Une if I must, but if this illness is the result of that mission two years ago, they'll need to be involved and this will just cut out the middleman."

The Gundam Pilots nodded in agreement, "Let's bring our Cat home." Duo murmured.

.xX0Xx.

To Be Continued…


	13. Chapter 12

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 12

.xX0Xx.

The woman, who sat rigid behind a huge mahogany desk, was in her late thirties. Her hair possessed the same hues as their missing friend and was pulled into a tight bun; not a strand out of place. Her facial features were sharper than the youngest Winner, but one could definitely see the family resemblance. Out of the twenty-eight surviving Winner Sisters, She was one of the five most ruthless and cutthroat in pursuing control of her brother and consequently of Winner Enterprises.

"Gentlemen," Akilah greeted icily, "To what do I owe having your presence graced by me?"

"Quatre." Hiiro answered curtly.

"Obviously." She rolled her eyes, "What about him?"

"One of your sisters beat you to him." Duo held out the photo for her to see, "We need to know which one."

Akilah didn't even glance at it, "and why should I help you? My _brother_," She nearly choked on the word, "has been a disgrace since he was born: defying father at every chance, fighting in the war, marrying a man and being too weak to repent and move on when Allah delivers his divine retribution. He couldn't have brought more dishonor to this family if he had committed suicide… not for a lack of trying."

"You want WE." Hiiro countered matching his partner's glare. "It's impossible to get the company without Quatre."

She smirked, "I don't need him to control WE. All I need is for 51% of the stock holders to determine he's incompetent to run the company. I have 49%. The last three just need a little more persuasion; but I'm confident they'll see reason soon enough."

"Not according to the company's bylaws." Duo contradicted. "They clearly state that if Cat isn't able to run WE, then the responsibilities fall to the next of kin; Cat's living will names us his next of kin. And if that's not enough legality for you, we also hold Power of Attorney for his medical decisions and in matters of estate. If you want the company, you have to go through three Gundam Pilots to get it."

"And we will fight you for it." Hiiro snarled. "That is Quatre's birthright and we will protect it."

She glared at them.

"BUT…" Duo proposed, "We would be willing to negotiate turning control of one of the subsidiary companies over to you."

"IF you help us find Cat, and IF you cease your all of aggressions towards him- not just concerning WE, but personally as well."

Akilah considered the offer for several moments, "Which subsidiary?"

"Depends on how _helpful_ you are." The braided teen shrugged.

She snarled, "Rihana is the only one who is brazen enough to do this. There are rumors that she has been working with someone. Whom, I don't know, nor do I care."

"Where can we find sister dearest?" Duo's grin was predatory.

"I don't know. For obvious reasons, we don't talk."

"Is Rihana the one in the photo?" Hiiro prodded the woman to look at it, wanting confirmation.

"No. That's Tamara."

"Where can we find her? Could she be the one Rihana is working with?"

"Rihana can't stand Tamara. If you want to find her, you would have to ask Sarah; she's Tamara's twin."

"How do we contact Sarah?" This woman was testing their patience.

"We are not a close knit little family." Akilah scoffed, "I haven't spoken to either of the twins in nearly four years."

"I hope you have something more than that." Hiiro raised an eyebrow expectantly.

She huffed, "I heard from Jana that Khuzama had spoken to Rihana last week; she might know, but I can't say for certain."

"Where do we find Khuzama?"

.xX0Xx.

"Under pain worse than death, I am accompanying Chang wherever he goes." Zechs informed the doctor when he tried to prevent him from entering the examination room. "I will stay out of your way, but I will be in the room."

"Fine! Explain his symptoms."

Zechs shared what he knew finishing with, "I have someone retrieving the mission files from that case. They should be here any minute."

"If what you say, and suspect, is true, then Chang must be put in level five quarantine."

Zechs just about laughed, "Doctor, the only reason he's here now is because he's unconscious and can't protest. I guarantee that as soon as he's coherent enough, he's going to demand to be released. You'd be a suicidal fool to try and stop him."

"Be that as it may, he still needs to be quarantined."

"I don't believe he's contagious. The other pilots have been exposed to him for the past two years and none of them have displayed symptoms."

"But you said he didn't get sick until a few days ago? It could be dormant for an undetermined length of time before becoming active. Who's to say that they, or you, or anyone who has had contact with him since that mission won't get sick eventually?"

Zechs couldn't argue with the physician. "Just help him."

.xX0Xx.

Abby peeked into cell 435 through a sliding window in the door. The room was pitch-black, save for the thread of light the window provided. Inside laid an unconscious teenager, restrained in a straight jacket. This patient was brought in heavily sedated; his file described him as having a psychotic break, prone to violent outbursts and very dangerous. He was unnamed and staff was instructed to keep him medicated and maintain their distance until he could be observed by the psychiatrist.

.xX0Xx.

Trapped inside his head, Quatre screamed in tortured agony. There wasn't any physical pain that could be compared to what he was bombarded with. All of his emotions were whirling about him creating a dark eye of the hurricane of other people's emotions. The gale-force winds of fear and pain ripped at his soul, shredding his last reserves and will to fight.

There was no escaping from it. Just as he started seeing a break in the clouds, a slim glimmer of hope of gaining control of his psyche, it was snatched away from him before he could get a solid grasp.

He could feel himself becoming detached from himself, weaker and the shadows of his mind were moving in threatening to swallow him, and there was nothing he could do to save himself.

'Wu Fei!' His heart pleaded, 'Help me!'

.xX0Xx.

To Be continued…

A/N: Sorry about Akilah's attitude. I did some research, and while I'm sure that not every Muslim feels this way (please remember, I don't want to offend anyone), the general consensus on the outlook of homosexuality was not a positive one. To be fair, Christianity doesn't think to highly of it either... Plus, I wanted her to be a bitch. :)


	14. Chapter 13

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 13

.xX0Xx.

His entire body ached, feeling sluggish and restrained. His throat was dry, his tongue like sandpaper. His breathing, labored; and he felt as if he were on fire.

He could make out a subtle, rhythmic hiss, followed by a breath of stale air accompanied by a melody of beeps. They were constant with occasional hitches that disrupted the pattern.

He found himself standing alone, surrounded by a bright light; the light was so pure that his body did not cast a shadow. The light was safe, warm, comforting. Beyond the light was shifting shadows with hidden creatures that tried to claw their way to him- though the circle of light held them at bay.

There was a sound emanating from the shadows; it resonated through to his very core and his soul reacted, instinctively moving towards the source leaving the sanctuary of light. The creatures moved in- predators circling for the kill.

Something- _Someone_ was calling to him- desperately needed him. The cries sounded familiar- _Felt_ familiar and he ached to reach out to the owner of the voice.

The closer he moved towards the voice, the farther away it seemed. Without realizing it, he slipped deeper and deeper into darkness; the voice becoming more distant until it was a faint whisper.

'NO! He need me!' His subconscious protested; realizing how far he had fallen, he struggled against the clawing creatures in vain effort to return to the light. 'CAT!'

.xX0Xx.

"I swear to God, 'Ro." Duo complained, picking up his helmet and balancing it on his bike in front of him, "If we have to play 20 Questions with another one of Cat's sisters, I'm not responsible if Shinigami makes an appearance! Cat's in trouble and these chicks are squabbling amidst themselves and wasting precious time! Don't any of them give a damn about their ONLY brother's wellbeing?"

Hiiro nodded his agreement. "I wouldn't interfere if He did."

After speaking with Akilah, they had hunted down Khuzama, who directed them to Shadha, who passed them to Cala, who sent them to Daliyah, who told them to contact Hazar, who laughed and told them to find Aini, who suggested Thana, who pointed out Zuhrah who said Zahrah would know, who ultimately told them to go to hell. And none of them knew where Rihana, Sarah or Tamara was or how to get in touch with them.

"We still have fourteen sisters to go through." He groaned, rubbing his face.

The braided teen frowned thoughtfully, "Maybe… maybe we're going about his the wrong way?"

"How so?"

"Well, think about it." Duo cocked his head to the side, "We know that Tamara must be in Sanc, because we have her on video kidnapping Cat… She had orderlies with her. Maybe…"

"If we did a facial recognition on the orderlies, and compared them to hospital employees, we can figure out where Quatre is."

"I feel so stupid that we didn't think of this before!" Duo smacked himself on the forehead, "The time we wasted!"

"Let's not waste anymore of it." Hiiro slipped his helmet on and started his motorcycle. Smirking, Duo did the same and tailed his partner as he took off down the road back to Wu Fei's place.

.xX0Xx.

'_Quatre_…' The concerned voice echoed in his mind, its soothing tones a balm in his anguish. '_Don't give up, my love. Wu Fei will find you. He will get you out of here_.'

'Trowa?' The empath's raw soul recognized; the other's spirit offering a little shelter, a small reprieve, from the constant bombardment. 'Can you be real?'

'_I'm here_.' He soothed, taking a more defined form in Quatre's subconscious. A gentle hand smoothed back his husband's blonde bangs; a loving kiss pressed against his forehead. '_I'll stay with you. Wu Fei will find you_.'

'I'm losing my mind… my sanity… I don't know how much longer I can hold on…' The teen's soul was broken.

'_Fei will find you_.' The banged boy repeated, '_Believe that; cling to it. He will find you._'

The blonde nodded, 'I believe it… I know it… But it's so painful!'

'_I know, my love. I'll protect you for as long as I can.' _Soulful green eyes promised.

'I've missed you…' Quatre whispered, exhausted. 'Fei's missed you too.'

'_I'm never far.'_ Trowa murmured, continuing to smooth back the golden locks, trying to distract the tortured soul from the agony. '_You've gotten better; I'm relieved. I was so worried about you for the longest time. I worried about Fei…_'

'He has been so kind to me…' Quatre's volume matched that of his long-lost husband's, 'More so than I deserve.'

'_He loves you._' The banged teen smiled, '_Like I love you._'

There was a surge of violent emotion that crashed against the spirit's back causing Trowa's form to falter as he shielded his husband; pain crossed his face as he grit his teeth against screaming.

'Trowa!' The empath gasped in horror at the prospect of him being hurt because of him, 'Trowa…?'

'_I'll stay with you. Wu Fei will find you!' _ He reiterated through his clenched teeth, pulling Quatre's subconscious form closer to his own in a protective embrace. '_Fei will find you. Just hang on… okay, Cat?_'

'Okay.'

Another attack hit the spirit, causing him to fade enough for it to pass through to the blond. Trowa frantically tried to block the next, but it passed through too; the effect making a part of him disappear.

Quatre screamed in pain.

'_Wu Fei! Hurry! I can't protect him for long! FEI!'_

.xX0Xx.

To be continued…


	15. Chapter 14

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 14

.xX0Xx.

It had been a very long week. After the initial tests, the doctor determined that the mutated disease wasn't contagious and Chang was placed in a room for observation. The nurses came in periodically to check on his vitals, and his catheter.

As promised, Zechs hadn't left the boy's side. As a result, he was tired, smelly, cranky and alive. He had no doubt in his mind that Shinigami would keep his thinly veiled threats. The nurses were patient and brought him coffee, black, sandwiches when he got hungry and newspapers to read.

Zero-One and Zero-Two had called every three hours to check in and get a status update on their friend; unfortunately, there wasn't much that Merquise could tell them. Zero-Five's fever still hadn't broken. Most of the time, the Asian remained still and unresponsive; on occasion, he moaned and twitched as if he were caught in a nightmare. The only understandable thing uttered from the delirious teenager was '_Cat'_.

As for their self-appointed mission, Hiiro and Duo were incredibly frustrated. The interviews with Quatre's older siblings were less than productive and the facial imaging scans of the orderlies hadn't matched anyone working in the medical fields, public or private institutes anywhere in this district or the five surrounding counties. Which, lead them to believe that the men had been impersonating medical orderlies and offered no leads as to where Quatre was being held.

It was evident in their voices and body language during the calls, that Hiiro and Duo were becoming more and more anxious. When asked, the normally jovial teen explained that they were sensing an echo from their lost friend. It was enough to assure them that Zero-Four was alive, but did not provide a direction to follow… and it was diminishing in intensity. It was very disconcerting.

Zechs glanced up from the report he was reviewing when there was a change in the monitors incessant noise. He watched as steady pulses on the screen were interrupted by a higher spike; Chang was trying to wake up.

.xX0Xx.

"Sister. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Akilah glared at her younger sibling's image. "You've overstepped your position. You have brought a lot of trouble to our family."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She smirked.

"I'm sure you don't remember going to Chang's estate with a group of orderlies? And I'm positive you wouldn't remember using a taser on your own brother in order for those men to strap in a straight jacket, drug him and cart him away?" The elder Winner quirked an eyebrow, "Would you, Sarah?"

The young woman snorted, "I think you've got me mixed up with my twin."

"Tamara?" Akilah pressed, "I think not, Sarah. You see, you may not have been in contact with your other half, but I have. Did you know that she's off planet? Were you aware that she now resides on L3?"

Sarah's smirk became predatory, "You think so? How current is your intel? Cuz, I have spoken with my dearest sister; in fact, I had breakfast with her on Tuesday."

.xX0Xx.

Quatre's breathing was labored as his soul rested against his husband's spirit. 'Why does it seem to come in waves?' He wondered.

Trowa shook his head, he felt weak; he knew he couldn't shield his love for much longer- Hell, he could barely hold his form. '_Night and day_.' He answered, his voice strained. '_Sleeping verses awake_.'

'How long have we been trapped here?'

'_Too long_…' The banged teen muttered.

'Fei will come.' The empath whispered, exhausted.

'_I know he will_.' Trowa comforted, '_Rest while you can… and don't worry, I'm with you_.'

Quatre smiled, 'Fei always tells me that, 'I'm with you.''

'_He's a man of his word._'

They rested together in semi-peace before the storm started to stir again.

'_Cat_…' Trowa murmured, tightening his embrace. '_Can you summon ZERO_?'

Azure eyes blinked up at him in surprise, 'ZERO? Why!?'

'_I think we could use a little help… while we wait for Fei_…'

'You're worried.' Quatre whispered. 'You're afraid he won't make it in time.'

'_Please, Cat._' Trowa implored, '_Summon ZERO._'

'Th-There's no other way?'

'_Cat,_' Emerald eyes watched as the storm grew darker, more ominous, and more violent. '_I swear I'll stay with you until Fei finds you, but I don't know if I can protect you!_'

The blonde raised trembling fingers to caress the spirit's face, 'This is hurting you…' Trowa avoided his gaze. 'This is Killing you!'

'_I'm already dead, Cat.'_ He pointed out.

'Trowa!'

'_Please, Cat…_' Trowa begged, as the first of the next wave of onslaught struck him, making him grimace. '_Call ZERO._'

'O-Okay.'

.xX0Xx.

A steady hum resonated from the buried depths of the empath's soul; growing louder as it became stronger.

The former pilots watched with mixed emotions as the hum took a solid form in the same manor that Trowa's spirit manifested itself in Cat's subconscious. There was a startled gasp and a muffled whimper when Zero's shape became more defined.

'It's you…' The banged spirit whispered, staring into the cold, hollow, gaze of a fifteen-year-old Quatre.

The blonde shook his head, 'No… That's not me.'

[I always knew you'd need me again.] ZERO murmured accessing the situation, his voice an echo of the time when Quatre had fired upon Trowa, destroying his Mobile Suit; Zero-Three shuddered at the memories, unconsciously tightening his hold on the blonde.

A surge of murderous hatred slashed Trowa's back, ripping a scream from him.

'NO!' Quatre cried as his lover's image flickered dangerously, 'ZERO! Please! DO SOMETHING!'

Zero's eyes illuminated an eerie white, as the hum grew louder, surrounding the pair, creating a barrier between them and the chaos.

Trowa fell forward, catching himself on his hands, raggedly panting as he tried to stabilize his form; Quatre soothing him as much as he could while murmuring, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you, ZERO… Thank you…'

ZERO didn't respond to the gratitude, [Where are you?]

The blonde shook his head, 'I don't know. I was attacked and drugged… I've been trapped in this darkness- I have no idea for how long…'

The system studied the human souls; they were weak, but still fighting. [Give me control.]

'WHAT!? No! The last time I gave you control, you almost killed Trowa!'

[Give me control; I'll get you free.]

'It's okay, Cat.' Trowa breathed, 'It's one of the reasons I wanted you to summon it… You're vulnerable right now because you have no control over what your empathic ability is picking up… Zero… Zero can act independently… Even if it's just long enough to send the others a signal- a message- something to let them know where you are…'

The empath met the eyes of his younger self, mentally calculating the risks and consequences of allowing the system to control him again. After careful deliberation, Quatre nodded, 'Okay… Get out if you can, signal the others if you can't; they'll recognize the old codes from the war- BUT no one can die! It's an unacceptable loss, ZERO. Accomplish the mission without fatalities; that's an order.'

The fifteen-year-old apparition smirked, [Mission Accepted.]

.xX0Xx.

Abby frowned thoughtfully as she peeked into the observation window to room 435. The young man had been locked inside, heavily sedated, for a week. His file had specified that a psychiatrist would evaluate him, but looking through the folder revealed no notes regarding any visit from the doctor- there wasn't even a doctor assigned!

From what she could tell, no one had entered the room except to administer the next dose of sedative; scanning the chart, she was alarmed to see the dosage. The patent was still in the original clothes that he had been brought in with and obviously had not been bathed, or provided the sanitation needs for bodily waste. There was also no indication of what nutrients were being consumed, solid or intravenously.

"This is seriously wrong…" she muttered to herself, sliding the window cover shut.

Staring at the door, she struggled to decide what to do about this extreme case of abuse and neglect. If she went to the Administration, and they had no idea it was happening, then the problem would be resolved, and the patient would receive the treatment he needed… If the Admin did know about it, then her job would be at stake and law enforcement would need to be alerted. The question came down to: Who could she trust?

Making a decision, she slipped into the lady's room and took out her cell phone. Biting her lower lip, she hesitated before dialing.

/"Preventers, how may I address your call?"/

"Yes, w-will you put me through to Sally Po, please?"

.xX0Xx.

Inside the dark room, azure eyes snapped open. "Where is my enemy?"

.xX0Xx.


	16. Chapter 15

.xX0Xx.

Chapter 15

.xX0Xx.

"QUATRE!" Wu Fei screamed, bolting upright, his eyes wide and wild as he fought against the cords and tubing that entangled him.

"Chang!" Zechs blinked, dropping his book, startled by the abrupt awakening of the comatose pilot. He scrambled out of his chair to keep the young man from moving, yelling for the nurse and digging in his pocket for his cell phone, "You're in the hospital, Chang. Yui and Maxwell are on their way!"

Zero-Five's heart thudded loudly in his chest, pain squeezing it, "Cat!? Where is he!?" He demanded, before focusing on the person restraining him, "Merquise? Where's Zero-Four!?"

"Calm down and I'll brief you of the situation; you must give your word that you will wait here for Zero- One and Two."

The raven-haired teenager blinked, trying to defog his brain, "Status?"

"Your word, Chang."

"My word; now status?"

Zechs inhaled deeply before releasing his hold on the other pilot's shoulders and stepped back. "You took a turn for the worse," He began to debrief; ending with, "Zero-Four is MIA; Search and Rescue is being implemented by Yui and Maxwell."

"Quatre's missing? His sister… but…Why?"

"We don't know; I assume it's for control of WE."

"That doesn't make sense… The company bylaws prohibit a takeover under those circumstances; everyone in his family knows that… this is something more…"

The Doctor entered, surprised to see his patient conscious and sitting upright. "This is delightfully unexpected! When the nurse called me, I had assumed it was because you were dying."

Chang glared at the physician, "Zechs?"

"This is Dr. Alfred Weinser; he's the leading authority on mutated strains of diseases."

"Mutated!?" Wu Fei's glare darkened, "You failed to mention that, Merquise."

"I felt it would be better if the Doctor explained the medical specifics."

"FEI!" The braided whirlwind burst into the room, shoving the other occupants out of the way in order to glomp his friend around the middle; Hiiro close behind, a pack in hand.

"Duo…" Wu Fei murmured; the teen shook his head, hiding his face as his shoulders shook in uncontrollable sobs. "I'm okay, Duo… I'm not going anywhere." He soothed, stroking the teen's hair as if he were a pet. "I'm okay."

"It's a relief to see you functioning." Hiiro admitted.

"I was that bad?" Chang frowned. "I'm sorry, Maxwell. I never wanted to worry you like that."

"Yes, you were seriously ill!" Dr. Weinser announced indignant, "There are numerous tests that must be done! There's no explanation for this recovery! This is no time for visitors!"

The older man wilted under the three glares that targeted him.

"Just try and move me; I dare you!" Duo's muffled growl challenged, from where he hid his face.

"Your services are no longer required." Wu Fei informed him haughtily.

"WHA-! You can't be serious!?"

"I suggest you send the nurse in with discharge papers." Zechs stated, "I warned you that you couldn't keep him once he woke."

"But- He! I-!?"

"Get. Out." Hiiro ordered.

The tall blonde shut the door after the man.

"Yui, any word on Cat?" Wu Fei demanded once they were alone.

Shaking his head, Hiiro tossed the bag to his friend, "Get dressed and we'll determine our next course of action."

Chang caught the pack in his left hand before it could hit the braided teen, who seemed to have no intention of releasing him any time soon. "Duo, go stand with Hiiro and close the curtain. I'm not going anywhere except the bathroom; as long as the curtain is closed, I'll leave the door open… So let me go, okay?"

Sniffling, Zero-Two complied. "Sorry." He whispered, "I didn't mean to freak out like that…"

"My friend, there is nothing to apologize for, I completely understand; but I can't find Cat, if I don't get rid of this Catheter."

"I think the Doctor is hoping to keep you here until he tells his staff to remove it."

"Fuck him." Chang spat; once Duo had closed the curtain, he (painfully) removed the tube, throwing it in the trash.

On shaky legs, he made his way to the bathroom; his comrades patiently waited for him to shower and dress. The nurse came in, reluctantly permitting him to sign his discharge papers.

Hiiro allowed Chang to ride behind him as Duo's motorcycle matched pace with theirs; Zechs' sports car could be heard a mile or so back down the road, unable to keep up with the speed the pilots were going.

Upon reaching the safety of the apartment that Hiiro and his partner shared, Wu Fei sank into their couch, bone weary and exhausted.

"You okay, Man?" Duo asked concerned.

"I'm doing better," Chang assured, before admitting, "I'm not at a hundred percent yet." He shook his head, "There was no way in Hell that I was going to stay in the hospital; I need to find Cat… He's in trouble, I know it- I feel it!"

"We've reached nothing but dead end leads; we're hoping that you can locate him."

"The way only you can." Duo added, barely concealed hope lighting his eyes.

Zero-Five exchanged glances with his friends, "I've never been able to purposely sense him."

"You're the last option we've got right now." Hiiro pressed.

"Please, Fei. You've got to at least try!"

The Chinese teen nodded, "I need to be able to meditate. I'm feeling very off center right now."

"Eat something, and then you can use our room." Hiiro offered.

"I'll make dinner!" Duo announced, going into the kitchen. "We got some stir fry that you'll enjoy!"

"Thanks, Maxwell." Chang called above the clanging of pots in the cupboard as the braided pilot dug around for the wok.

The doorbell rang. Taking out his sidearm and holding it loosely to the side, Zero-One opened the door. "Zechs."

"Nice of you guys to wait."

"We thought that you'd be gone after being released from Fei-sitting." Duo stated, peeking his head out the kitchen door.

"Not a chance. So what's the plan?"

"I want to see the security footage." Chang requested. "Maybe a fresh set of eyes will help."

"Of course." Hiiro agreed, retrieving his laptop and opening the requested files.

"This… This is when he went to make tea for me…" Wu Fei swallowed, as the images played; Zechs watched over his shoulder. "He talked to me, guys. Actual, direct, conversation; his voice is the most beautiful sound I've ever heard…"

"We'll find him, Chang."

"We have to." Duo added, before informing them that food was ready.

.xX0Xx.

It took little maneuvering and a dislocated shoulder to slip out of the straight jacket. The body's owner was going to be in agony when the meat-suit was returned, but ZERO felt no pain. Once free, the strategic system slinked up to the door, analyzing the hinges. With a smirk, and three sharp kicks, the bolts broke and he was able to slide the door open with minimal noise.

Peering out, ZERO took a count of the number of orderlies, patients and guards. It factored in the distance between each variable and the exit, what type of security was required to get through the door and the probability to do so without death. The system then calculated the chance of success of getting to one of the computer stations, hacking it and sending out a message before being stopped.

The conclusion, that ZERO came to, still had too high of a probability to fail, but it was the best chances given all the scenarios.

.xX0Xx.

Deep in his soul, Quatre clung to the spirit of his deceased husband; Trowa offering what little comfort he could. The manifestation of ZERO had shaken them both and the distrust they felt for the System left them wary.

'What if it doesn't succeed?' The empath worried. 'What if it doesn't return control to me?'

'_Cat, you conquered the programming during the battle of Libra. You mastered it. It has to obey you_.'

'How can you be so sure?'

'_I just am… Just like I'm sure Fei is looking for you and will find you._'

The blonde nodded before asking, 'When this is all over, you're going to leave again… aren't you.'

Trowa sighed, running his fingers through silky hair, '_Cat… I never left you. You keep me in your heart and that's where I'll stay_.' He frowned slightly as he continued, his voice somewhat demanding, '_But that doesn't mean you should close yourself off and think only of me. You need to live, Cat; Fei needs you to live._'

'Do you watch over him too?'

The banged apparition smiled, tugging on a golden lock affectionately. '_He remembers me_.'

Silence fell between them as they rested within ZERO's barrier.

.xX0Xx.

Wu Fei sat cross-legged on the floor of his friends' bedroom. A solitary candle lit before him; the tiny flame flickering as he stared at it. He used it as a focus point; allowing all of his thoughts and worries to melt away until only the flame remained.

Once he felt calm enough, the teenager inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, his eyes closing with the expulsion of air.

The candle became an image in his mind; the dancing flame serving as a return point for his consciousness to find.

'Quatre… Where are you?'

.xX0Xx.


End file.
